CO129-579-3 Sino-Japanese War- shipping 30-10-1938 - 23-12-1939 — Page 123

2.

123

arrived at the Harbour Office and presented Certificates of

Seaworthiness for the S.. "Mao Lee" and "An Lee" together with

a certifying letter as regards wireless outfits. The representative was told that the papers then appeared to be

in order but that difficulties had arisen over clearance and

that the Harbour Master was to see His Excellency the Governor

at 12.15 p.m. that day on this subject and the representative was requested to call back at 2.30 p.m. to be informed as to

whether clearance could be granted or not. At 2.30 p.m., ne

again appeared at the Harbour Office and was informed by the

Harbour Master that, as it had come to his ears that an

Injunction was being applied for debarring clearance being

granted to these two vessels, he did not think it was possible

for him to grant clearance until such time as the result of

such application had been determined, and requested the

representative to call back at the Harbour Office at 4.45 p.m.

At 4.45 p.m., the representative again called at the Harbour Office and was informed that an Injunction had been made by the Supreme Court debarring clearance being granted to these two vessels provided that a sum of $20,000 was paid into Court.

The Harbour Master stated that he understood the money had not

been so paid in, up to that moment, as the order had only just been made, and requested the representative to call back again at about noon on Saturday, when, failing compliance with the ·

orders of the Chief Justice on the part of the applicants,

clearance would be granted. At about noon on Saturday, 11th

February, the representative again called on the Harbour Master and was informed that the money had been paid into Court and

that the Harbour Master had been instructed by telephone by

the Registrar of the Supreme Court that clearance was not to be granted until further instructions. At about 12.30 p.m., the

documents necessary for confirming this telephone message were

served on the Harbour Master by a bailiff of the Supreme Court.