(6)
See 59 on previous ref. file
1
b 4 0.
B/T.
36
Paraphrase telegrain from the
16397
Governor of Hong KoDE
to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Dated 31st July, 1930.
(Received Colonial Office 11 a.m. 31st July*30)
No.85 of 30th July.
30 June 7
Your Secret telegram of the 1st July regarding the
Cus.oms agreement.
Following developments have taken place, Doubtless under instructions from his head office local head of Butterfields on 31st May declared complete change of view and advocated full surrender to demands of Chinese including if necessary sacrifice of
Article 10. He
endeavoured apparently to induce other unofficials who were present at meeting of 14th May to support him put did not succeed. Local Commissioner or Customs by direction of Maze handed to my staff copies of the so called confidential
publication
entitled Hong Kong Chinese Customs including two copies for Legislative and Executive Councils. Print contains November 1929 text
of draft
agreement. It cannot be circulated to Legislative
Council as publication of Agreement has not been authorised. I consider this an effort at
propaganda not designed to facilitate friendly negotiations. An importent object of the
publication appears to be to draw attention
to
punitive measures set forth in it to be adopted
in the event of Hong Kong proving recalcitrant and strike note generally of unilateral demand supported
by threats rather than negotiations for mutual
exchange (?) of advantages between friendly
States.
Wes
It I stated by maze that he did not
object