CO129-433 - Governor Sir May - 1916 [5-6] — Page 574

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Reer 25 JUL 1,

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 9th. June, 1916.

5117

Sir,

With reference to my Despatch No. 21 of the 7th.

of January, I have the honour to transmit the enclosed copy of n letter addressed by the Board of Trade to Mr. E. A. M. Williams ,

local Trade Correspondent of the Commercial Intelligence Branch, with regard to the method in which Mr. Williams has dealt with enquiries concerning exports from this Colony. For convenience of reference I enclose copy of the instruction to which the Board

refer.

!

!

2.

The instruction referred to is to the effect

that replies to enquiries from the United Kingdom and Foreign Countries should be sent under cover to the Board of Trade and these

instructions have been carried out by Mr. Williams as far as imports into the Colony are concerned. But I regret that the rule has not been applied by Mr. Williams to exports from the Colony for the

following reasons.

The exports are of Chinese growth and/or manufacture and the factor of encouraging British manufacture does not enter into consideration except so far as these products may be used within the Empire. The benefits accruing to the Colony from an

increase in the export trade are obvious. They are

(1). Increase of its importance as a distributing centre.

(2). Profits earned by Chinese dealers and merchants spent

in the Colony.

(3).

I

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

ANDREW BONAR LAW, M.P.,

80**

&c...

80..