CO129-343 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 524

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]

AFFAIRS OF CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[6569]

No. 1.

C. O. 11983

[March 1/RECE

SECTION

(REGE 5 APR 07)

(No. 23.)

(Telegraphic.) P.

Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan,

AMENDMENTS to Mixed Court Rules.

Foreign Office, March 1, 1907.

Please see my telegram No. 17 of the 31st January last.

The following suggestions are made by the London Branch of the China Association, to whom we have communicated Inclosure 8 in Mr. Carnegie's despatch No. 352 of last year :-

Omission in Rule 2 of the words " for confidential reasons," which, in case of an unscrupulous assessor, would have an opening for abuse,

In Rule 4 (a) insert "in civil cases after the word "except." Contention is that in all criminal cases foreign interests are involved. Present wording of the rule might lead to the contention by the Chinese that it is only when crime is committed against a foreigner that the rulo is involved.

with the same assessor" after "sitting

Insert in paragraph 3 of Rule 6 the words " of the Court."

Insert" and practice" after "Regulations" in Rule 11. Supreme importance is attached by the Association to this amendment, as covering much which would otherwise be dangerously defective in the proposed rules.

You are authorized, unless you see objection, to press for the acceptance of the above-mentioned alterations by the Chinese. The last would, in my opinion, be a great improvement, and Chinese consent to it is particularly desirable that it should be assented to.

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