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It has been pointed out to the Committee that difficulties have been placed in the way of Liquidators realising other assets than trade goods such as land, buildings, leases and trade marks, so that British creditors have to wait payment of their debts pending the realization of stocks to the best advantage.
In such cases the creditor is kept out of his money and so far as Hongkong is concerned the so-called "War on German trade" resolves itself into the other extreme namely, "The preservation of German trade" and it would con- sequently be more honest to instruct the present Liquida- tors to call themselves "Preservators".
It is not desired to make nerd and fast rules but on the contrary it is hoped that Liquidators will be given power to sell all or any of the various forms of assets, tangible and intangible, which may be turned into money at such times and for such sums as in the discretion of the Liquidators seems best and that celerity be made on object though not the chief one. In fact, what is required is liquidation in the proper sense of the word, having due regard to local market conditions.
There is no doubt that the late German business
community will neither settle down in Hongkong after the
war, unless it unhappily turns in their favour, with any feelings of gratitude for being again allowed to trade, nor with any object having a direct or indirect tendency to benefit the Colony. Their object will be to take what benefits they can and if possible use it as the base from which transferrence of their business under easy conditions can be made to Canton and Whampoa. The great difficulties
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