CO129-332 - Public Offices & Others - 1905 — Page 465

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Corporation's view were met, until it wo ld end by

pulling the whole scheme to pieces, and I omed frankly that I didn't feel equal to putting the puzzle together again if the pieces were all to be shaken out on the table.

I had previously hinted to acrae that if his view of the Chinese attitude were correct he had foreshadowed all sorts of difficulties owing to their dislike of foreign interference) I thought our coured might be easier if we eliminated the Corporation alto- gether.

He retorted that there would be no difficulty

if they were adequately compensated;

on their side

to which I counter-retorted that there would be no question of compensation in my mind if we broke off on this point. Keswick was undisguisedly on my side

natura ly

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and indeed part of the interview consisted

in & discussion between the two Directors. He threw

out a suggestion that provision might be made for revising the distribution of profits if it was found

after a time to be unfair.

Before we parted I said that my main object

was not to wring out the last sixpence for the Colony

and that if they could offer any suggestion for a

division of the profits while preserving the pooling

arrangement, I would consider it, though I could not

promise that it would be accepted. The essential

thing to my mind, if we had a joint board, was to

secure that the Board had the same financial interest

in the prosperity of each section.

The above is to keep you au courant.

Yours sincerely

__(Si) G. V. FIDDMS.

Fir C. Clemente Smith G.C.May.

J