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TRADE AND
THE HONG KONG CHINA
PARTIUG CUSTOMS AGREEMENT.
MINUTES OF INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CONFERENCE.
An Inter-departmental Conference to discuss the
Trade & Customs
Hong Kong and China Agreement was held at the Colonial
Office on the 20th February, 1930.
There were present:-
Sir Gilbert Grindle, K.C.M.G., C.B. ( Colonial
W.D. Ellis, C.M.G.
Foreign Office.
( Office.
(
Mr. C.W. orde
Sir J. Pratt, K.B.E. 11
Mr. A.E. Overton,M.C.
Mr J.J Paskin. M.C.
- Mr. J.M. Martin.
11
Board of Trade.
Colonial Office.
Sir Gilbert Grindle
began by pointing out
that Hong Kong was in the happy position of having something
to offer which the Chinese were anxious to obtain.
Mr. Or suggested at that, while this
was so, it would be unwise to squeeze to the limit, or to
refuse
one definite advantage because we could not get
all the advantages that we wanted.
The chief difficulty arising out of the
Agreement in its present form lay in the new privileges
of participation in Chinese inland water navigation
rights sought for Hong Kong British shipping under Article
5.
It was pointed out that this was a privilege not
at present enjoyed.
It was no doubt chiefly desired
by