1. to .. Consul-General in presenting claims to Chinese Authorities against absconding bankrupts or contributaries to companies wound up by order of Court.
552 (o). H.M. Consul-General is of course bound to give assistance to British creditors whether of Chinese or non-Chinese nationality, but I do not see my way to instructing him to give similar assistance in all cases to Hongkong creditors who are not British subjects. Here again I am unwilling to limit his discretion.
I observe that in a letter of June 29, 1905, to the Chief Justice the Official Receiver makes the following statement: "From what I can hear it appears that German firms in Hongkong and Canton have greater facilities given them for attaching debtors' property in China than can be obtained by the British Government or British subjects through their own Consul". And in referring to this passage the Chief Justice in his letter of July 7th to Your Excellency said that "it would appear that the Consuls of other countries are apt to step in to obtain possession of property belonging to the debtor for the benefit of their nationals. By so doing foreign merchants, carrying on business in Hongkong and so subject to the Bankruptcy Laws of the Colony, obtain an unfair advantage over British creditors".
80 As the Colonial Secretary has said in the Minute already referred to, there is no evidence, far as I am aware, that foreign Consuls do obtain more satisfaction than British Consuls in these cases, it appears to me to be a matter of regret that the statement...
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to .. Consul-General in presenting claims to Chinese Authorities against absconding bankrupts or contribu- taries to companies wound up by order of "ourt.
552
(o). H.M. Consul-General is of course bound to give assistance to Pritish creditors whether of Chinese or non-Chinese nationality, but I do not see my way to instructing him to give similar aseistance in all cases to Hongkong creditors who are not Brit- ah subjects. Here again I am unwilling to limit his
discretion.
I observe that in a letter of June 29, 1905, to the Chief Justice the Official Receiver makes the follo..
"From what I can hear it appears
ing statement: that German firms in Kongkong and Canton have greater facilities given them for attaching debtors' property British Govern-
in China than can be obtained by the ment or British subjects through their own Consul". And in referring to this passage the Chief Justice in his letter of July 7th to Your Excellency said that "it would appear that the Consuls of other countries are apt to step in to obtain posseģio belonging to the debtor for the benefit of their
011 f property
although
nationals. By so doing foreign merchants, carrying on business in Hongkong and so subject to the Bankruptcy Laws of the Colony, obtain an unfair advantage over British creditors".
80
As the Colonial Secretary has said in the Minute already referred to, there is no evidence, far as I am aware, that foreign Consuls do obtain more satisfaction than British Consuls in these cases, it appears to me to be a matter of regret that the
and
statement
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