CO129-362 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 511

L

SAL

no notua tiba ru. Vienart

mi bertobruun: agy 20trtos

val i

elokira na to noiðaj

3. ad 10

cerca hinthavdaft gruel die eroldukdomon

509

and translation of an extract from the "An Ya Pao" of the

bh. August, reporting the proceedings at the meeting of

the Self Government Society, at which the agreement was

signed.

Similar reports appear in all the native papers

in Canton and the English papers published in Hongkong.

As I have, for some time past, had no official

communication with Hessrs Butterfield and Swire on this

matter, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the published

term of settlement, but I have reason to believe that

they are substantially correct.

I should explain that I declined any further

correspondence with Messrs Butterfield and Swire for the

following reason. About a month ago lir. Greaves, the firm's

Canton agent, informed me that the negotiations with the

Society were progressing very favourably, and that, as a

final settlement of the case, it was proposed to give a

banquet in Canton, to be attended by the Viceroy, the

Portuguese Consul and myself and representatives of the

Self Government Society and the fantonpress. I told Ur.

Greaves