CO129-500-3 Canton situation- governor's despatches 29-7-1927 - 1-9-1927 — Page 50

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Enclo No. La

extremist forces of Kiangsi at Kanchow on the

border of that province.

50

any

4.

I regret to have to report that European

officers of the China Navigation Company (British, Messrs. Butterfield & Swire, general managers)

went on strike on the 29th June in protest against

a reduction of their rates of pay. I enclose a press statement of the issue as viewed by the

Company, but am not in a position to express

opinion on the merits of the case. I can only regret the unfortunate example set to Chinese Labour at this critical time. I am informed that

the whole fleet of the Company, numbering some eighty ships is now laid up in different waters,

but so far the absence of these vessels has not

affected local trade, ample tonnage being available

on other lines. The number of the Company's

Lout the steamers now laid up in Hong Kong harbour is 14.

One of these is the Canton river steamer Fatshan.

5. I take the opportunity of enclosing a translation from the Kwok Man San Man, Canton, of the 26th May, containing a refreshingly clear exposure of Comrade Borodin as the evil genius Chinese Nationalism. Mr. Hu Han-min(-), who makes this exposure, is Chairman of the Central Political Council of the (Nanking) Kuomintang.

Enclo No. 2

6. The Illegal Strikes Bill, to which I

referred in paragraph 6 of my secret despatch of the 30th June, was today passed into law by Legislative Council with complete unanimity.

* Not nepaistes.

+

•prvested. No. C 3.

This

of

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01127 C. [Na 25.