CO129-433 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [5-6] — Page 563

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GOPI.

Fondosure 1.

Attorney General'■ Chambers,

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35123

REC

Ree 25 JULIA!

Gentlemen,

556

Hongkong, 80th. December,

1915.

!

In reply to your letter of the Elst. Desembar I am instrusted to say that the Hongkong Government do not propose to offer any objestion to your sending the sireular in question to any shareholders in your company who are anony subjects, if you are in a position to communicate with them, or their attorneys, and that in any oase the Government propose to offer no objestion to your reserving the proper number of new shanga for any such shareholders.

I would point out that the prohibition against

trading with the enemy applies only

(a) to persons resident or sarrying on business in an

enemy country or in territory in hostile ossupation, and (b) to persons of enemy nationality resident or sarrying

on business in China, Siam, Persia or Meroses,

This excludes Messrs. Jobagn, Dattan and Hermeling from the

It would appear category of pussies in the trading sense.

from your list to exclude Mr. Spalokhaver also, but his latest address appears to be an address in Germany. I may say ibai Mr. Dattan has claimed to be of Russian nasionality, though he has furnished no proof in support of bis olain.

The affairs of Messrs. Speidel à 00., the Union Rice Mill, and the Orient Rice Mill, are being wound up by liquidators appointed by the Courts of French Indo China, and there is no objection on the part of this Government to your offering the new shares to those liquidators.

I am not in a position to express any opinion

so to the nationality of the persons entitled under the will of Mrs. Lucie 1. C. Xionias. Here again, the Government have no objection to she offer or reservation of the new shares.

Inview of the above you will no doubt consider your position and obligations towards the shareholders in question and will consult your legal advisers as to what course you should take.

I only wish to add that the legal position of shareholders who are divided by the line of war from the company in which they hold shares is a question of much uno@rtainty, and that this uncertainty and the serious question of policy which is also involved are the reasons which have led the Government to take up the attitude which they have adopted in the matter.

The Hongkong & Whampoa Dook Go. Ltd.,

Hongkong.

Yours faithfully,

(Ed.) J. H. Kemp,

Attorney General.