CO129-487 - Others & Individuals - 1924 — Page 602

2

591

certificates issued by the Imperial Japanese Covernment should be questioned by the Government of a "little island like Hong Kong". The new arrangements at Hong Kong, however, seem to satisfy them, and the only point about which there was any doubt was whether we were prepared to accept import certificates issued by the Governor of

Kwantung. I said that in view of the new régime which

had been instituted there, I had no doubt the British

Goverment would agree to do so. I had not your letter

by me at the moment, but on referring to it later I see

that we have made no distinction between Kwantung and other Japanese Territories like Formosa; so that point may be regarded as settled. Sugimura has embodied my remarks in

a formal note which he has addressed to me (copy enclosed}

I will delay my reply until you

for

and asked confirmation.

h

have had time to get this note and telegraphed that the

Colonial Office and Foreign Office agree.

The discussion between Sugimura, Kaku, van Wettun

and myself then turned on the form which the article in

the Convention about export and trans-shipment was to

take. During the discussion in the Conference I denied

emphatically a suggestion which had appeared in the press

that Great Britain was discriminating at Hong Kong