12714/26
PARAPHRASE TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Dated 11th June.
(Received, Colonial Office, 12.55 p.m., 11th June, 1929).
AND
53
114
No.10 of 11th June. Reiss, Massey and Company Limited and a
Company registered in Hong Kong with entirely European
and British shareholders and capital, who are associated
with Reiss Brothers (1923) Limited of Manchester representatives
in the Colony and in China of the Northern Construction Company
(Montreal and Vancouver) have been notified by Sunfo, Chinese
Minister for Railways, of his willingness to negotiate contract
for completion of the Canton-Hankow railway. Notification further
states that an early release of the Boxer Indemnity funds for this purpose would be welcomed. The Railway concession had
previously been obtained from Doctor Bunyatsen by Northern
promised Construction Company hence the present preference. They provided
to purchase in Great Britain fair proportion of raw materials and
railway stock. Reiss, Massey and Company, Limited, have approached
me for support of Colonial Government and I wholeheartedly
support this application as completion of railway is essential
to the future interest of Hong Kong.
I understand that Sunfo would agree that construction of loop
line at Canton (my despatch Secret of 20th May, 1926) should be
undertaken simultaneously with larger project. Cost of the whole
project is I understand estimated at about £5,000,000; and, if
H.M.Government supports this proposal, I presume the Chinese
Government will be pressed for guarantees that they will set aside
for this scheme part of the £8,000,000 of the Boxer Indemnity which it is proposed to remit.
Repeated to H.M.Minister at Hankow 11th June unnumbered.