CO129-592-5 Reports on current situation- custody of enemy property 7-12-1945 - 11-12-1945 — Page 4

A REPORT ON THE CUS TODIAN OF PROPERTY AND CUS TODIAN

OF ENEMY PROPERTY.

41

1.

Under a scheme evolved in the internment camp by Mr. Gimson, Mr.

R. A. Wickerson was entrusted with the auty of taking possession on of and

assuming control of the Godown area.

2.

In this capacity, Mr. Wickerson was known as Controller of Godowns

and I attach marked "X" a report from him as to his activities.

3.

Mr. wickerson appeared to be doing excellent work and the C.C.A.O'S. authority was obtained to appoint him assistant Custodian and acting Custodian of Property. By virtue of Proclamation No. 11, Article 1 (a),

I attach marked "y" a he also became Custodian of Enemy Proper ty.

further report from Mr. wickerson acting in this capacity.

4.

One of the many difficulties in relation to property generally

arises from the fact that as far as can be ascertained, the Japanese

did not distinguish between seizure and requisition, i.e. they merely

But in a number of cases took without payment whatever they required.

Are we con-

the parties claim that they were forced to sell to the Japanese for an inadequate sum, which would appear to be "requsitioning". cerned to inquire or should we assume that the property passed?

5.

which

It may also be added that in the godowns taken over by Mr. Wickerson and in the tunnels and holes in the ground mentioned in his report, there were discovered numerous goods, some of value and utility, were clearly once the property of British firms and persons; such goods appear, therefore to have been secured rather than seized, or if seized

Presumably they should be never appropriated to any particular use.

returned to the owners where they can be ascertained.

Another difficulty arises from a similar position with regard to houses, i.e. the fact that the Japanese tenant was the last known tenant of the premises does not necessarily mean that there is now only subsis- ting Japanese Interest in the premises.

It is also clear that with the news of the impending surrender both before and after the acceptance of the terms of the Potsdam Declaration by the Emperor of Japan, Japanese transferred the property and possession

The preliminary investiga- of a large quantity of Chattels to Chinese. tion of these cases shows that consideration passed in some of them; in