CO129-477 - Public Offices - 1922 — Page 218

MINUTES.

MINUTES NOT TO BE WRITTEN

ON THIS SIDE.

In any further communication

on this subject, please quote

No.

and address,

N 4941/183/15.

not to any person by name,

but to

C

26458

Rea! JUN22

FOREIGN OFFICE.

S.7.1.

1st June, 1922.

**The Under-Becretary of State." Foreign Offius,

REC

London, W. L.

Sir:-

67067/

218

I am directed by the Earl of Balfour to acknowledge

706/or February 28th last,

the receipt of your letter No.

transmitting copy of a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong relative to the claims of enemy firms at that port.

2. It will be remembered that at the meeting of the Treaty Execution Committee held on the 15th instant it was stated (vide item I.) with regard to Decision 7 of Meeting No.44.a. of the above Comittee on arch 13th last, that the credit would be given to the German owner of the liquidated business through the British Clearing office, the credit being transferred from Hong Kong to London for the purpose; further, that the person who has proved his rights to new rationality would have to seek his remedy against his Gera. debtor, and if necessary to prosecute his claim before the Courts of

Germany.

3.

While fully appreciating the practical difficulties of the situation created by the impossibility of investigating the claims of Danish Schleswigers, and the fact that the Custodian at Hong Kong no longer possesses the necessary funds to satify such clains as might be established, it is considered that the execution of the above decision would involve serious hardship on these claimants, and that to treat them as though they were Germans would be inconsistent with article 297.b. of the Peace Treaty.

Under Secretary of State,

Colonial office.

4.