​Letter to The Custodian Farm Department from Masao Miki

File 4524 [handwritten]

COPY FOR MR. SHEARS' COMPLAINT FILE

548 College Avenue,
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
23rd January, 1947.

The Custodian Farm Dept.
Japanese Evacuation Section,
Vancouver, B.C.

Dear Sirs:

Re: Sold property of my farm land at Bradner, B.C.

In 1943 the above property had sold compulsory by you to the Director The Veterans Land Act, at the price $2,509.00 for 53 acres of land, with 10 buildings, 727 fruit trees, and 317,000 bulbs of daffodils, tulips, lilies, etc. and I got only $2,207.00 out of it. I was not consented of course with such unreasonable price at all and sent letters at the time. My wishing was to keep it until we are returned.

I am a Canadian. I got the naturalization paper in 1923 at Bradner, B.C. I think it is unlawful that the Custodian or the Government would act such compulsory sale of the Canadian's property without understanding, and even though the forcing act had been proceeded in the war time, it should be returned to the owner or compensate fully for the total loss upon one's property at the later date.

The Government of the United States has already sent Japanese people back to their homes who wished to be returned. I believe that we the Canadians too should be sent to the old homes in B.C. Coast any one wishes to do so.

In the legal agreement of renting my property to Miss Beryl Underhill which we signed on April 13th 1942 is written - The crops on this property would have and sell, but it is understood that no bulbs must be dug and sold but that the bulbs must be left in the ground.

My old neighbours informed me a few weeks ago that those over 300,000 bulbs had almost been dug out and took away from this property.

The wartime emergency powers of the federal government are due to expire on or before Mar. 31st in this year, and if we would be allowed to be returned in B.C. Coast, my intention is to pay the sum what I got from you back and go to the old home and continue the old business. Therefore I beg to you that let no one have this property or send into until everything set.

I forward this letter before I request the indemnity for my total loss on my property.

Yours truly,

M. Miki.