Chartered Accountants
Bank of Toronto Building,
Victoria, British Columbia
506 Royal Bank Building,
Vancouver, British Columbia
GEORGE A. TOUCHE & CO.
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
________________________
DONOVAN M. TOUCH E. JAMES BENNETT
JOHN PARTON GEORGE L. C. TOUCHE
FRANK P. TURVILLE J. HAYDN YOUNG
HAROLD G. HINTON
__________________
EDWARD S. READ
CABLE ADDRESS ALL OFFICES
CODES: BENTLEY'S A.B.C. WESTERN UNION
ENGLAND, LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM.
CANADA, MONTRÉAL, TORONTO, WINNIPEG, REGINA, CALGARY, EDMONTON, VANCOUVER, VICTORIA
U.S.A., NEW YORK, CHICAGO, CLEVELAND, DETROIT, ST. LOUIS, MINNEAPOLIS, LOS ANGELES.
BANK OF TORONTO BUILDING,
VICTORIA, B.C.
1st April 1944.
F.G. Shears, Esq.,
Acting Director,
Office of the Custodian,
506 Royal Bank Building,
Vancouver, B. C.
Dear Mr. Shears:
I am enclosing a copy of a letter from a Japanese the contents of which are self explanatory.
This discloses a situation which is pretty general amongst the Japanese who have been evacuated and whose possessions have been taken into custody.
I would suggest, in order to avoid any unfortunate further incidents of this nature, that evacuated Japanese be informed that it is the intention of the Custodian to dispose by auction of all personal effects which have been seized. Should the owner thereof desire to obtain possession of any or all such articles he should be given the opportunity of : -
(a) Sending for such articles at no cost to the public. Such request on being approved by the Custodian will be carried out as has been done in many cases in the past.
(b) Having such articles either in whole or in part, transferred to the custody of an approved white person. If this alternative is adopted it will be at the risk and expense of the owner and no further liability will rest with the Custodian for the safe keeping of such articles.
Yours faithfully,
HG Hinton [handwritten]
EWP:MHK
Enc. 1.