CO129-501-2 Chinese situation- Boxer indemnity 5-2-1927 - 14-12-1927 — Page 135

Memorandum by the Chairman on the

Governor of ongkong's Criticisms and Suggestions

regarding the Utilisation of the

China Indemnity Fund.

136

In a despatch dated October 18th, 1926, Sir C. Clementi,

Governor of Hongkong, criticises, in principle and in detail,

the suggestions made by Lord Willingdon's Delegation to China

regarding the utilisation of the China Indemnity Fund. He

makes no mention of the modifications introduced by the Ad-

visory Committee. Further, in a telegram received by the

Colonial Offico on February 5th, 1927, he states that he has

discussed the matter with his Executive Council, and that they

concur in the terms of his earlier despatch, and emphasise the

impossibility of proceeding at this juncture to constitute a

Board of Trustees in China to administer the fund. He and

his council invite the attention of His Majesty's Government

to the suggestion made in the Hongkong press that further col-

lection of the Indemnity should be discontinued and that the

£2,000,000 now on deposit should be spent on the Hongkong Uni-

versity and on the construction of the looline between the

Canton-Kowloon and the Canton-Hankow railway. Sir C. Clemen-

ti's requcst in October was for £1,400,000. The Secretary of State for the Colonies has forwarded this telegram to Sir Austen Chamberlain and to Lord Buxton (the Chairman of the Advisory Committee), has expressed his sympathy with the Gover- nor's views, and has asked to be informed as to the opinion of the Advisory Committee theroon.

These documents were considered at a meeting of the avail-

able.