​Letter to Department of the Secretary of State from Tokuji Hirose

68 Kate Street,
Winnipeg, Man. [Manitoba]
April 22, 1944.

Dept. of the Secretary of State,
Office of the Custodian,
506 Royal Bank Building,
VANCOUVER, B.C.

REGISTERED LETTER

Dear Sir:

Attention! Mr. F.G. Shears
Re: File No. 4940

I acknowledge with thanks your letter of April 11th.

In your letter you stated that you cannot give consideration to my request to dispose of my own property to whom I like. You stated that it is now impossible for you to give consideration to a sale to Mr. Bruce McCurrach, because the sale of my property, together with other rural properties, was made to the Director, the Veterans' Land Act.

I understand from your letter of August 30th, 1943 that this transaction took place on January 1st, 1943 exactly one year and four months ago, but to this day you have not given me the sale price of my property, which you sold without my consent. Even those properties sold under expropriation law the property owner has the right to appeal for fair sale price. You advised me that you sold my property and yet you do not know the sale price.

As I have stated in my previous letter I have a buyer for my property. Mr. Bruce McCurrach is offering $1,500 cash. Why can't I sell my property to Mr. McCurrach?

I was under the impression that your office is there to look after the interests of the Japanese people. At least that is what you told me at the time of registering my property. In view of the face that you will not grant me permission to accept Mr. McCurrach's offer of $1500 cash for my property, I take it that you have a far better offer than this from the Director, The Veterans' Land Act. In the event that the offer from the Director, the Veterans' Land Act is lower than that offered by Mr. McCurrach I shall hold you responsible.

Yours truly,

(Signed) Tokuji Hirose
Reg. No. 12160