CO129-392 - Governor Sir May - 1912 [9-10] — Page 385

COPY.

Enclosure 1.

C

Dear Jamieson,

C.O.

37573 370

RECO

Government House27 NOV 12,

Hongkong, 9th. October, 1912.

I enclose for your perusal and return a Circu- -lar with translation of same which has been issued here by per- -sons representing themselves as a Committee of a Society for the promotion of patriotic subscriptions for the benefit of the Canton Government.

It appears that in the middle of last week two delegates from Canton came here to discuss the question of the Canton notes with local Money Changers. The names of the delegates were Tsau Lo ( ) and Li Un-shang (

I believe they are both connected with the Canton Mint. They approached the Committee men of the Money Changers Guild who at their instigation called a meeting in a well known Chinese restaurant on the even- -ing of the 4th. instant. Speeches were made concerning the heavy discount on the notes and a document was drawn up to which the money changers present affixed their chops. The document was later taken round to the other Money Changers for their chops. It is understood that the document was in the nature of an undertaking to accept the notes as current at par in Hongkong and to deal with the notes as much as possible in preference to sub-coin.

Instructions were given to the Police to stop the circulation of this document, but the mischief had already been done.

As you may imagine I take the strongest excep- -tion to the action of the Canton Government in interfering in this way with the internal affairs of this Colony. This Colony has its own currency and if any attempt is made to force these unsecured notes into circulation here I shall be obliged to take steps to protect the currency of the Colony.

I