CO129-491 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 139

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20.

(1) The irrogular Registration of Chinese

as foreign subjects.

The difficulty here will be to frame any recommenda- tions which, while not affecting the logitimate exercise of foreign jurisdiction over Chinese possessing double national- ity, will point to a remedy for the evil, which His Majesty's Government are most anxious to sec abolished, of the fraudulent extension of foreign protection to Chinese not

possessing any for ign nationality. If the Commission can get over this dificulty, well and good. But the British delegate will appreciate the importance of concurring in no recommendations of which the effect might be to weaken the claims of His Majesty's Government to the protection of any of the various categories of British subjects of Chinese

race.

21. (2)

Registration of Chinese-owned Land

in Foreign Consuletes,

This is an abuse which exists at most ports in China and has grown to very large proportions in Shanghai. As it may therefore be brought to the notice of the Commission the following considerations are set out for the guidance of the British representative.

Lund owned by a foreigner and registered in a foreign

Consulate is to a large extent withdrawn from Chinese juris-

diction. It is immune from expropriation for public purposes

by Chinese authorities and on transfer to another foreigner

is immune from Chinese land transfer fees which vary from

6 to 9 per cent. ad valorem. No question is here involved

of land in British Concessions which is held under Crown

Lease granted by the British Government. It concerns only

land within the area of a Treaty Fort, either within or with-

out/