MINUTES.
MINUTES NOT TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE.
In any further communication on
this subject, please quote
No. T 8187/4182/350.
nd address,
but to-
not to any person by name,
The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S.W. I.
Sir:-
43474
بمو
FOREIGN OFFICE.
S.T.J.
332
TRES
RE. S SEP 23
31st August,
1923
2500
With reference to your letter (36054/23) of the
28th ultimo, I am directed by the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
to state, for the information of the Duke of Devonshire, that
advantage has been taken of the expert advice of one of His Majesty's Consular Service in China, now in this country, to discuss with him the question raised in the despatch from His Majesty's Minister at Peking, No. 302 of the 22nd
May last.
2.
In the enclosure to that despatch His Majesty's Consul at Kiungchow requests instructions as to the national status of (1) wives and widows, and (2) the children born in China of British subjects of Chinese race.
3.
From the information now received as to the local conditions, it appears that there is considerable doubt as to what ceremonies in China, apart from consular marriages, are legally valid. It appears therefore to the Secretary of State that for the purpose under consideration His Majesty's Consuls in China may be left to use their discretion in a marriage which is accepted locally, referring to His Majesty's Minister at Peking any exceptional cases on which they might require advice.
4.
The doubt raised by ir. Consul Bristow is on the point whether, in view of the section regarding the registration
of British subjects of Chinese race on page 21 of the "Compendium of Instructions to His Majesty's Officers in
China", he may register the wives of persons included in those
Under Secretary of State,
Golonial Office.
classes
སྐ་་