47
negotiations were completed. In the event of inability to reach a negotiated settlement, it would probably be necessary to constitute the Shipping Claims Tribunal, a course which should be avoided if possible.
(b) The information at present available for the use of such a Committee is not adequate. The facts were collected by the Hong Kong Government for quite other purposes.
The public have had three opportunities of registering claims. Between 250 and 300 total losses of vessels under 500 G.R. T. some of which may since have been recovered were registered with the Rep. Claims Registration Office during 1946 in the course of the general task of registering reparations claims. In addition as an outcome of requests made by the Inter Allied Reparations Agency in Brussels the exact import of which was not explained to the Hong Kong Government) a notice was gazetted in Hong Kong on 2nd August, 1946, and a further notice on 28th November, 1946, inviting registration with the Harbour Master of losses of ships or craft as a result of hostilities, however occurring. From these two gazettings another 300 vessels of all sizes were recorded. The lists of the Reparation Claims Registration Office and the Harbour Master were compared and to the extent possible over-lapping was eliminated. The lists do not distinguish clearly between losses under requisition, losses by denial action and losses due to Japanese seizure etc., nor do they give full information as to vessels recovered. The valuations are those placed on vessels by their owners and have not been subjected to any detailed scrutiny to ensure that they are
The lists correct or comparable and properly reflect the value in 1939. also are probably not exhaustive, as the limits of time in which registration had to be effected were comparatively short and many potential registrants may not have been in the Colony.. It would certainly be necessary in the public announcement of the formation of a Committee such as that I have suggested to invite re-registration of the limited class of requisition claims admitted, especially of launches. An analysis of the information available from the Hong Kong Government files mentioned in Schedule III, is set out in Schedule I.
GENERAL.
10.
(a) It is understood that the Hong Kong Government do not have funds readily available for the settlement of claims of the order of those listed in Schedule I. I have not felt it appropriate to touch on this subject.
(b) It should be recalled that in the present boom in Hong Kong many firms have been able to recoup their losses very quickly and are more concerned with making large profits now than with recovering claims from the past. The result is that there have been far fewer protests and complaints over the delay in handling these questions than it would have been reasonable to expect; indeed only one shipping line, which has virtually been put out of business for three years as a result of the delay, has been active in pressing its claims.
(c) Although this Report has been seen in draft by the Colonial Secretariat,
the Director of Marine and the Commodore's Office, and incorporates many of their suggestions, they are in no way committed to approval of any or all of its recommendations. There will, however, be little, if any, dispute as to the facts recorded in it or in the Schedules attached.
Signature D.F. ALLEN.
-10-
Date
1.7.48.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.