54
(36) & (46)
1948
accepted by the Hong Kong Government
unless the United Kingdom Service
bes
Department concerned accept liability
in any particular case in the light
of its existing practice.
5. The question then arises if
any assistance should be given by
His Majesty's Government to the Hong
Kong Government in respect of
established legal claims under paragraph
4 (iii) above. I must in this connection
refer to the free grant of £1 million
which was given to Hong Kong by His
Majesty's Government "to assist the
Government of Hong Kong in resolving
problems arising out of expenditure
connected with the war". At the time
when the financial settlement between
His Majesty's Government and the Hong
Kong Government was reached, there was
some misunderstanding in Hong Kong on the
point whether the liability now under
consideration was included as one of the
items of "expenditure connected with
the war". (See your telegrams No. 406
and 426 of 22nd and 27th April, 1948).
consideration of whether His Majesty's
However, repr-sentations in thie Government would be prepared to give assistance connection are bound to be larely
in this matter commot be taken further
academic until the actual cost of this
liability is known; that is, until
the problem has finally been disposed
of on the lines suggested in
paragraph 4 above.
16.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.