438
CANTON KOWLOON RAILWAY.
Minutes of Meeting (the 5th) held at the Wai Wu Pu on Wednesday October
Present;
46877
Sat at 8.30 p.m.
H.B. T'ang Shao Yi
Kung Paotai and Mr. Ho representing the Viceroy of Canton.
Mr. ... Secretary to the Wai Wu Pu, and
Mr. J.G.E. Bland, representing the British & Chinese Corporation Limited.
With reference to the Minutes of last meeting, it was recorded that the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank had agreed to the option, exercisable by the Viceroy, of making payments of interests and capital to the bank, either at Canton or Hongkong.
It was also noted that the Canton Viceroy's deputies had carefully checked with Mr. Bland the English and Chinese text of the Agreement.
KUNG PAOTAI stated that a telegram had since been received from the Viceroy taking exception to several clauses of the Agreement. MR. BLAND pointed out that H.E. had formally agreed to accept the result of negotiations by the Wai Wu Pu and that no finality of agreement could be obtained if the Agreement were subject to objections raised without knowledge of these negotiations.
T'ANG SHAO YI observed that the Viceroy's views expressed local opinion which it was necessary to conciliate so as to prevent hostile criticism of the agreement and opposition to the Edict.
The Viceroy's objections were then discussed seriatim, and certain verbal amendments agreed to under Articles 1, 4, 6, and 15, the object of these amendments being the clearer assertion of the authority and dignity of the Chinese Government. It was stated that