CO129-587-8 Crown leases 18-4-1940 - 17-3-1941 — Page 15

5876-150) Wt. 14813-85 5,000 6/40 T.S.

HONG KONG.

695

C. O.

Mr. Monson, 4. 2.

Mr. Duncan $22 nuinte H.D.

Mr.

Gent

Sir A. Burns.

Mr. G. L. M. Clauson.

Mr. C. J. Jeffries.

Mr. A. J. Dawe.

Sir J. Shuckburgh.

Permt. U.S. of S.

(No.6.)

Parly. U.S. of S.

Secretary of State.

DRAFT.

DESPATCH.

HONG KONG.

NO.

ALD

54051/40.

15

(Refer KM 17mon, before aspatch).

Sir,

Downing Street,

January, 1941.

I have etc., to refer to

Mr. Smith's despatch No.308 of the

27th of June, regarding the approved

terms of renewal of 75 year leases

of Crown land in Hong Kong, and .to

also recover

inform you that I have taiton th

representations

apdrtunity of

Cussing this

question wibia Mr.H.W.Looker,

my predecessor! desp

bound my

(see No. 170 of the 10th of May,

(see

see No.

1940). Mr.Looker should not,

however, be taken as having in any way

committed himself or his clients to

to what is

kanalasian

set out below.

ш

GOVERNOR.

From the geformation at present

it afpson that, hom the Strieth legal pount of view, the Comment are sutitur, on the Experation of the present leases, to paul pest. leases upon such terms and conditions as they may think fit.

FURTHER ACTION.

17° Calder 15 me.

2.

I am satisfied, after

full examination of the documents

forwarded with Mr. Smith's despatch

under reference, that, from the

point of views,

legal det,there is no

shully

substance in the claim put forward

by the Special Committee of the

General Committee of the Hong Kong

General Chamber of Commerce that

holders of the 75 year leases are

entitled on expiry of the lease to

its