CO129-451 - Public Offices - 1918 — Page 540

60 93388

282

518877.

C.

E

(Yunnan, China)

53669

Rece (Rro 9 NOV 18!

536

1. Kr. John Hatfield was interviewed in N.I.D. on Tuesday

October 22nd; he stated that he had but recently returned

from China where, among other plices, he had visited the

Kochiu Tin Mines near Kengtze in Yunnan. He stated that

these mines are owned and worked by certain definite local

families who form an extremely close corporation, and who

are determined to maintain their monopoly, and who are

strong enough to ignore or override the action of Chinese

Officials. The only possible method, short of military

force, by which an outside interest, either foreign or

winere, could obtain any share in the control of the

workings would be by entering into partnership with the

Cantonese, who manage the financial site of the enterprise.

These Cantonese are bored on hong kong,

MT Hatfield stated that some eighteen months ago

(the date is not certain) a party of Japanese came to the

mines armed with permits issued by Peking and endorsed by

Their ostensible

-

the Frovincial Governor at Yiumanfų.

object was to inspect the wines, but in spite of permits and

official introductions, the workers the coolies, to ure

Mr. Hatfield's own words refused to allow then anywhere

near the workinge. Mr. Hatfield also stated that before

the war, a German in the employ of Carlowitz and Co., nad

been in or about the workings endeavouring to establish a

footing on the very lines which, as stated above, Mr. Hat-

field considers to be the only ones offering a prospect of

RUCCARS.

It is understood that a member of Mr. Hatfield's firm

18/

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