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BARAPHRASE TELEGRAM from the Governor of Hong Kong to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Dated 8th November, 1930.
(Received Colonial Office 4.35 a.m. 8th November, 1930)
Addressed to Colonial Office No. 150. Repeated to Peking.
Confidential. Your confidential telegram No. 104
November th Hong Kong-China Customs Agreement.
I am
?(omit)
(not) posting by this mail draft as finally
(9)
agreed to both by Maze and myself and concurred in by
Executive Council. I did not consider that it was necessary
to refer it to Chamber of Commerce.
This draft differs slightly from draft dated Shangha? 26th September. Maze having stated that his principals desired omission of preamble on ground that it gave to the
agreement the appearance of a formal treaty, to which they were opposed, I submitted following draft preamble (which has been accepted by Maze and also presumably by Soong):- "whereas it is recognised that co-operation between the Chinese
Maritime Cuszqme and Revenue Service of Hong Kong will promote harmonious relations and tend to secure reciprocal benefits of trade and commerce the undersigned being respectively authorised thereto by the Government of His Brittanic Majesty and the Government of the Republic of China have agreed together as follows". Perhaps, in view of the
above, alternative (b) mentioned in your telegram would be preferabilo but I personally have no objection to alternative(a)
if China is agreeable. Maze has been asked informally to sound his principals and I shall advise you further.
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