CO129-587-8 Crown leases 18-4-1940 - 17-3-1941 — Page 2

I LAND

1. Mr H Looker. Refers to

معلمته

54051/440

Crown

Leases in HE.

of

aath questions in the House.

to ask

that

renewal of

le proposes to

(Rared).

2 To My H. Sooker.

3. My H. Looker.

Depo

interview

26-4.40.

·23·4·40,

Farr

I har arbed hum

al 3.30

m

we amely

recent

despatches atral. land leaser

wait

to call

Tuesday.

Izlýant 27/4

Mr. Looker called this afternoon. He was in business in Hong Kong for some twenty years as a solicitor, and the present affair which he wanted to discuss was as follows:-

He has been consulted by old Hong Kong clients of his, Messrs. Mathons, on the question of the terns of the renewal of Crown leases falling due shortly in the Colony, in the case of which notice has been given by the Hong Kong Government that a premium on renewal would be demanded. Mr. Looker told me that the policy of the Hong Kong Government in making this demand on the owners of expiring Crown leases has been the subject of a recent report by the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in which great exception is taken to the Government's decision. The firm of Mathisons, being substantially interested in these leases, has accordingly consulted Mr. Looker who has had much longer experience of these matters and of the Government land policy in the Colony than others, including those who

wrote the Chamber of Commerce's report. He told me that the China Association in London has interested itself in the question and is also asking him to take the matter up on their behalf.

At this stage he wants some information to enable him to appreciate the Hong Kong Government's present action and the change of policy, if any, which it represents.

He accordingly asked if we could communicate ith the Hong Kong Government for the purpose of obtaining information for the use of himself and others here interested in the problem on the points set out in the attached sheet*

I