CO537-3711 — Page 65

H.M.G. and the Chinese Government, but neither

retreated from their position. The Chinese

legal case was stated at some length in Notes of Paper E, No. 2,

28th June and 27th July, 1933, but there seems

to have been some reluctance by H.M.G. to

argue the legal issues.

With the outbreak of

the Sino-Japanese war in 1937 the matter went

into abeyance.

14. It was raised again in the Chinese press

in September, 1946, where some statements went

so far as to say that Kowloon City was excluded

from the leased territory. In a statement

published by the Hong Kong Government on 15th

September, 1946, it was pointed out that these

statements were not in accord with the wording

of the Convention of 1898 and that the juris-

diction of Chinese officials in Kowloon City

was terminated in 1899 because it was found t

be inconsistent with the military requirementsTM

for the defence of Hong Kong.

15.. The facts of the incidents which have

brought the present dispute to a head are that on

27th November, 1947, the Hong Kong Government

issued eviction notices against persons living

in Kowloon. These were ignored, and on 11th

December, 1947, summonses were served.

case was heard before the Kowloon Magistrate on

the 16th December, and he ordered that all

persons illegally occupying Crown land or living

in unauthorised structures in Kowloon Walled

The

City should be evicted and the unauthorised

On 22nd December,

structures dismantled.

notice of this order was served on the residents

of the Walled City who were at the same time

given information as to where alternative

living accommodation could be obtained. The

eviction/

pages....attached.

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