CO129-348 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [7-10] — Page 230

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9 7 SEP 08

Fout. House 146.

6th. August,

I have the honour to inform you that I

received by last mail a Despatch (Secret of 28th. June, 1908)

from the Secretary of State for the Colonies calling my atten-

-tion to the urgent necessity of moving in the question of a

Joint Working Agreement between the Chinese and Hongkong Govern-

-ments on the subject of the Canton-Kowloon Railway. I attach

the duplicate copy of this despatch, in the last paragraph of

which I am directed to keep you fully informed and in which it

is surrested that I should consult with you in the master. I

shall therefore be glad of any observations and suggestions

which Your Excellency may be good enough to make. I attach also

a copy of my reply.

2.

#

In the course of a conversation which I had

with Your Excellency at the end of March last you expressed the

view that the interests of this Colony would best be served if

the negotiations on the part of the Chinese Government were to

be left entirely in the hands of the Governor-ceneral of the Two Kwang Provinces, who should be fully empowered in that behalf as the representative of the Central Government. By this

means you anticipated that the interminable delays which took place in the former negotiations relative to this Railway night to some extent be averted and the inconveniences arising from the distance which separates the parties to the negotiations might be avoided. You undertook to use your best efforts to this end, and I have the honour to enquire whether Your Exuel- -lenoy has any information to give me in this respect. For the

annic Hajesty's Minister,

reasons

PRK IN 0.