Letter to Saburo Nishihata from the Office of the Custodian

Letter to Saburo Nishihata from the Office of the Custodian

Description

Title Proper Letter to Saburo Nishihata from the Office of the Custodian
Date(s) 1942
General material designation
This item contains a textual record.
Scope and content
This item consists of a letter dated November 24, 1942 and addressed to Mr. Saburo Nishihata, Reg No 06156, Tashme Hope BC from the Department of the Secretary of State Office of the Custodian signed by H.F. Green, Protection Department. The letter refers to the Custodian's former letter dated September 21 [1942] and Nishihata's equipment of steel bending brake No. 818 is now being rented to Pacific Sheet Metal Works Ltd. for a period of six months at a nominal rental of $5.00 per month with a guarantee the equipment will be returned in the same shape as received, less ordinary wear and tear. Annotated in pencil on the verso side of the letter is "1 Pair Diagonel Wool Tweed 295 / Duty Knees (crossed out) 49-P126 18 years old / 1 Pair " 13 year." The equipment was urgently required for Government war work. Attached to the letter was a special request notice requesting any replies to contain the file number, signed full name, and registration number.
Name of creator
Komajiro Nishihata was a pioneer who came Vancouver in 1901. He left his home town of Echigawa cho, Shiga ken during the immigration boom. Komajiro's twin sons, Saburo and Jiro were born April 12, 1899 but remained in Echigawa cho, to acquire middle school education in Japan. They lived with an aunt until they graduated and came to Canada together on August 21, 1914 on board the Canada Maru. Immigration laws had tightened and the boys' father sponsored by Komajiro Nishihata from Big Bay near Comox, BC, and lived with him until 1921. Afterwards, the family was reunited and lived together near Port Moody, where Komajiro worked at the Port Moody Sawmill.
Immediate source of acquisition
The digital copies of the records were acquired by the Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective between 2014 and 2018.
This record was digitized in full.

Metadata

Title

Letter to Saburo Nishihata from the Office of the Custodian
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Terminology

Readers of these historical materials will encounter derogatory references to Japanese Canadians and euphemisms used to obscure the intent and impacts of the internment and dispossession. While these are important realities of the history, the Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective urges users to carefully consider their own terminological choices in writing and speaking about this topic today as we confront past injustice. See our statement on terminology, and related sources here.