​Letter to the Custodian's Office from Shig Kato

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Scanned black­ and ­white microfilm of a typewritten copy of a letter addressed to the government from Shig Kato regarding dispossession of their property. Top left corner folded over during scan.
c/o Mr. H. Wehrle.
Box 136, R.R No. 1,
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
​The Custodians Office
Department of Secretary of State
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

COPY FOR Mr. Shears' Complaint File.

K KATO
Reg. No. 13285
c/o [care of] Mr. H Wehrle
Box 136, R.R. No. 1,
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Dec. 4/46

The Custodians Office,
Department of the Secretary of State
Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Dear Sir:

I am writing to you concerning our land which you sold at the ridiculously low price of $817.08. Here, I would like to state that this land was bought (in the wild uncultivated state) at $1,500.00 (Proof to be found registered at the land office in Westminster.

This land was cleared at very high expense with donkey engines and dynamite. After the land had been cultivated, fertilized, the buildings built upon and the fruit trees grown. Don't you think yourself that the selling price was but a mockery to all hard working people? Even more to a old man who had worked hard; put everything he had into his bit of land. A land he had looked upon as a child who had at last grown up to a stage where it was ready to help him. I hope your are well satisfied with what you have done.

Most likely you will say that the land has been paid for, that you are finished with us.

This I will tell you. If we had not been evacuated we would have had no worries whatsoever in making our living. As it is we were more or less forced to back down into accepting your price. I want to tell you that we are not by any means satsfied with what we got.

Also has it ever occured to you that you have sold our land without our consent: that we had nothing whatsoever to do with your selling of it.

Remember that you are not dealing with animals. We are all human. If you were in our shoes what would you have done? You know that we had nothing to do with this war. Yet we have been treated the same as those who are directly connected with it. Don't you think that our treatment has been a bit harsh?

Since I am stating my grievances I would like to ask you about our shares. What happened? Are our remaining shares still redeemable at their face value? (ie.) as they become valid? Or are they to be taken away too?

Yours truly,

Signed: "Shig Kato"

Please answer this letter.
I have duplicates to send.........