CO129-587-13 Acquisition of immovable property by foreign corporations 4-7-1940 - 28-9-1940 — Page 4

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pram 20/9/

HONG KONG.

CONFIDENTIAL

sir,

Colonial office,

Downing Street, S..l.

28 september, 1940.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt

of your confidential despatch of the 4th July regarding the acquisition of removable property in Hong Kong by

foreign corporations and to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a note prepared in this Department regarding the

practice in other Colonies. I also enclose a copy of the Aliens (Land Holding) Ordinance of Trinidad which is representative of the restrictive legislation on the subject in force in a number of the 'est Indian Colonies and which

may be of use to you in this connection.

With reference to paragraph 4 of your despatch

it would clearly be a hardship on the many thousand

Chinese owners of property in Hong Kong to place an embargo on their liberty to transfer their property to other non-British Chinese persons and until there were

definite signs that an undesirable amount of land and buildings in the Colony were passing into non-British ownership I agree that no restrictive action on Chinese property, apart from measures necessary in the interests of defence in particular areas, should be attempted.

I have the honour to be,

THE OFFICER ADMINISTERING

THE GOVERNKENT OF

HONG KONG.

sir,

Your most obedient,

humble servant,

(õigi av, deÜTD

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