CO129-622-3 War damage compensation- requisitioned railway stores and materials 19-1-1948 - 31-12-1948 — Page 87

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Kono regarding Claine submitted to The Government of long Kông by The Jardine Engineering Corporation, Limited, behalf of the Chimene Governmen Ministry of Communications.

At the outbreak of "ino-Japane"s hostilities in 1937 the Ministry of Communications removed a consider- quantity of rolling stock, mashine "hop equipment, etc. various railways and depot» in China to Kowloon and Kong for safety. A large quantity of equipment was at th hat time in course of shipment and on order from abroad. This was landed at Hong Kong, instead of being carried on to the port of destination in China, in order that it would not fall into Japanese hands,

During 1941, when the war in the Mid-ɲget developed, the British Government besame interested in the above materials in Nong Kong av a source of mapply for the kid-Eart Campaign, so much mo that the Hong Kong Government ruled that the material could not be removed from the Colony without their conment.

Actual requisitions were made by tas far "upplies

Board during 1941 as follow:-

7/11 10/7/41

31/

16

7 Locomotiven

agon Materials for 600 Zagone Hild "teel Bar", Plata❤

149 wagons and Components

- 5 LOGBBotives

1 "Demag" Crane,

The materials covered by theme requisition® were actually shipped by the war "upplies Board but, due te disputes about the final prices to be charged, the goods were not paid for by the Far “upplies Board at the outbreak of the Pacific var on 8th December, 1941.

In May 1946, the Hong Kong Government requested all claims in respect of orders placed by the far supplies Board prior to 8th December, 1941, to be registered. eting on behalf of the Ministry of Communications, the J. .C. in July 1946 made the following claims against the far "upplie" Board for order" plased but not paid for prior to 8th December, 1941:-

Invoice No. 003 (mended)

00

005

006

007

008

£35.312. 0. 0. 207.927.10. u. 29.769. 0. 0. 67.750.

1750. 0. 0.

0,200. 0. 0.

500. 0. 0.

£353,458.10. 0.

The Kinistry of Communications contend that the action of the Hong Long Government in ruling that all the materials had to be reserved for the purpose of meeting their needs for the prosecution of the war in the Mid-art con-ti-

Par por tuted a blanket requisition of all their properties «tored in Hong Kong. Further, during the last week or two before the war in the Pacific broke out, a large quantity of the rolling #tock wa® actually shipped without any specific requisition being iernod against the "ame.

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