[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
2
3. No Chinese subject who has been resident in any part of New Zealand for a number of years and is well known to his neighbours shall, if he desires to leave New Zealand temporarily with the intention of returning within 4 years, be required to leave his thumb impressions for identification.
4. Any Chinese subject who is able to pass the language test on entering New Zealand shall be allowed to land, like the subjects of other Powers, without paying any tax.
5. Any Chinese subject who is passing through New Zealand on his way to other countries shall be exempted from paying any tax, if he can find sureties to guarantee that he is a bond file through traveller. If such traveller is afterwards found to remain
in any part of New Zealand, he will be dealt with in accordance with clause 34 of the Immigration Restriction Act of 1908.
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[32945]
Sir,
No. 1.
[September
SECTION 2.
633
Messrs. Brunner, Mond, and C). to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received September 1,)
Northwich, August 31, 1909.
AT the request of our chairman, Sir John Brunuer, we beg to enclose herewith a report which we have received from our resident manager, Mr. E. S. Little, of Shanghae, on political and commercial conditions in China, which we think may be of interest to you.
Yours, &c.
For Brunner, Mond, and Co. (Limited),
ROSCOE BRUNNER, Managing Director.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Memorandum by Mr. Little on Political and Commercial Conditions in China,
AS promised in a previous letter, I now write you a brief memorandum of the
above conditions as they exist at the moment.
Politically, the following movements are in evidence :—
(a.) The lack of any strong personality in governing circles in Peking.
(0) The growing independence of the provinces.
(c.) The continuance of the rights recovery movement,
Commercially, the prominent features of the situation at present are :----
1. The financial situation.
2. The long extended depression with outstanding liabilities.
3. German influence.
I now take up the above points briefly :---
Political
(a.) The Lack of any Strong Personality in Governing Circles in Peking.---Since the degradation of Yuan Shib Kai no man of any commanding personality has appeared in Peking. The Prince Regent is young and inexperienced in the task of govern- ment, but has a certain amount of personal knowledge of Western countries. "It will be remembered that he was the Prince who was sent to apologise to the German It will Government for the murder of their Minister, Baron von Ketteler, in 1900. be further remembered that after he had presented the apology of the Chinese Government he was given an exceedingly cordial and royal welcome, and was shown to the best advantage the military and commercial resources of the German Empire. It is commonly believed in China that the impressions of this visit remain upon the Prince Regent's mind, and that he is much impressed with German resources and power, and that he is disposed to follow a pro-German line of policy.
It is of course quite impossible for any one man to attempt to carry all the details of the Government of this immense Empire, and yet that is practically what he has been endeavouring to do. It was reported to me from many sources, and confirmed to me by officials, that the Prince Regent, in order to learn the state of affairs in his capital, goes out disguised as an ordinary Chinese gentleman, rides in rickshas, converses with ricksha coolies, and with all sorts and conditions of men, so as to find out what they are thinking and talking about. This appeals very much to a certain class of the Chinese people, but has its dangers if he is going to be influenced too much by what he hears the ordinary coolie talking about on the streets in his capital. The Prince Regent is surrounded by a number of officials as advisers, many of whom are Manchus and of the old school, while there are no prominent There is, at the moment, no strong strong men of the new school to lead him,
[2418 a-2]
B
:
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.