CO129-426 - Public Offices - 1915 — Page 192

!

RECE

4973

Roo | FEBIS

C Extinct

188

The closing up of enemy firms in Hong Kong has

been followed by a campaign against "personification"

thereof by British employees. Thus Charles Rayner,

ex-partner of Carlowitz and Company, from which he

retired two years ago leaving his savings in the firm,

professed to start on his own to do some of their bus-

iness with England and the United States of America.

Hong Kong won't let him work there or take over the

German firm's British agencies. That's all right for

the Colony; but what is a consul's position if he fol-

lows Hong Kong and refuses Rayner recognition and protec-

tion? So far as I gather from the Office wires, in

China neutrality is to override exterritoriality. If

so, there is no offence in a Briton's taking over an

enemy firm's business in China with neutral countries

or allied even if it is done solely to save the enemy

fim from collapse and to enable it to survive the

War.

British competitors of course would like us all

to