P/G.O. Hong Kong 14.
4/54104/41
misty
•
Mr Monson.
54058/4/41
21
133
Please see the enclosed copy of a letter from Australia House. The procedure up to the outbreak of hostilities has been for the Commonwealth Government to render a claim to us through Australia House, sending at the same time a copy and supporting vouchers to Hong Kong. The Government of Hong Kong then sent us authorisation to pay, indicating what proportion of the amount was recoverable from H.M. Government in the United Kingdom. Recoveries were dealt with under your reference 593 A Accounts.
2. We have received the claims for July, August, and September, which amount together to £31469. 7. 9., but we did not hear from Hong Kong about either of them before hostilities began and, as you will see from the enclosed, the September vouchers did not even leave Australia.
3. The Commonwealth Government, evidently having in mind D.0. telegram of 25.12.41, (and obviously not having yet learned the contents of the later D.O. telegram of P.42.) want to know if they are to look to the High Commissioner for the July, August, and September claims.
4. The answer, as regards the High Commissioner, is certainly "no"; but will you authorise us to pay the July, August and September claims? We have no means of checking them, and any attempt on our part to determine the proportion recoverable from H.M. Government would be guesswork. We might recover a round figure based on previous recoveries and leave final settlement for the time when Hong Kong officials are again available. But it seems clear that the Government of Australia must be reimbursed.
For telefon of 16th
Anothe
Pay Department, Crown Agents' Office. 27th January, 1942.
9
母
3146.9
78676
341
1
CA
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