No. 224 (7345/722/47) Copied to:
Hongkong No. 141 Shanghai No. 377 Comm.Counsellor No.284
BRITISH EMBASSY,
MANKING,
24th June, 1947
65
sir,
I have the honour to transmit herewith a copy of a despatch from lis đajesty's Consul-General at Shanghai, No. 298 of 9th June, suggesting that the six months' limit for the final transfer of registering of "China Companies" to Hongkong as provided for under Articl- 4 of the China Order In Council 1943 might now be specified, if, as appears to be the case, this ùas not already been done.
2. ür. Ogden's arguments in support of this proposal seem to me to be sound and reasonable, and I have according ly the honour to refer it for favourable consideration.
3. There would also seem to be considerable advantage in instituting a system of requiring business organisations claiming British status to satisfy his Majesty's Consular Officers at the principal centres of operation of their bona fides. There may, however, be objections on political or other grounds to the suggested deposit of documents, which would otherwise appear to be both practical and to the mutual interest of the Consular authority and the company concerned. I should therefore be grateful for your direct- ions as to whether circular instructions ray be sent to His Majesty's Consular posts in China in the sense recommended by Hr. Ogden in paragraph 4 of his despaten.
4. I presume that in any case such deposit of papers can only be on a voluntary basis, in which event no Consular fee would be properly leviable for any service directly connected therewith.
5. Should it be considered that there is no objection to the above-mentioned identification requirements, the compilation of a central list as suggested in the last paragraph of the enclosul despatch would seem to provide a valuable source of confirmatory reference.
I have the honour to be,
With the highest respect,
Gir,
Your most obedient, Humble Servant,
(81gned) RALPH SKRINE STEVENSON
His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
Foreign office,
LONDON, 8.#. 1.
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