CO129-621-13 War damage compensation- individual claims 3-1-1949 - 28-10-1949 — Page 62

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in respect of war damage

administered by the Board / of Tride

For the Secretary of State's signature

60€

Thank you for your letter of the 3rd March about the

views of British residents in Hong Kong who suffered war

damage losses,

Y The position in regard to general war damage losses in Hong Kong is set out in the enclosed statement, issued by my Department in April last year, from which you will see that no payments can be made from the Colony's funds in

respect of general war damage claims.

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I fear it would, in the circumstances, not be possible to contemplate giving assistance to one particular section of the community in the Colony, from any grant made by H.M.G. to the Hong Kong Government for the general well being of the Colony.

howyer,

There is in this country a scheme, the Far Eastern

Private Chattels Scheme, under which United Kingdom British subjects who were in captivity in the Far East and

ive permanently in this country, are

eligible for consideration for limited ex-gratia payments

to enable them to purchase necessary furniture and

household goods. The grants are based generally on the

free cover allowances made under the United Kingdom

Private Chattels Scheme to those who suffcred losses in

this country. The Far Easter.. Scheme is confined to those

who, on being repatriated after liberation, intend to

remain here and set up a home in this country.

As you may have seen, however, from the reply given

by the resident of the Board of Trade to a

盖

uestion by

Vernon Bartlet

n the th December, it is proposed to extend

the Far Eastern Private Chattels Scheme to other United Kingdom British subjects (i.e. those who were not in captivity) who suffered war losses of private chattels in British or

ex-British terri torics in the Far East, always providing, as

before, that the; have returned here and intend to remain

permanently.

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/Consideration