CO129-501-3 Chinese situation- Protection of British subjects of Chinese race 23-10-1926 - 21-12-1927 — Page 179

GOFY

Enclosure Eo. 9 in dato 30, 9% of Oot bar 23. 1985.

179

sir,

To

Tomul dirke to the Commissioner for fo eiga ffairs.

British Cons uiave

September 16, 1926.

I have the honour to saknowleäge the receipt of your letter

of the 4th. instant in which you refuse to return the firearms and

ammunition removed from Er. Teo Tee Swee's house by the police in

the early morning of August & laat, on the ground that he made no

application for any import permit for those articles and that

the cartridges in his possession were in exeese of the gamber

allowed.

In reply, I beg to inform you that no regulation exists

which prevents British subjecte from purobesing in China arm

for self-defense or for sporting purpos@5. Further, the number

of both pistol and sporting cartridges taken from Mr. Teo Yee

Swee by the police was far less than the mumber allowed to be

imported by a British subject in one year (50% and 3,000 rounds

respectively).

in any case, I must remind you that if a British subject

breaks any law or regulation, he can only be dealt with by his

he Chinese own authorities; and in no circumstances have

police the right to search his house and remove his proverty

from his possession. If it is considered that feo Tee

Swee her in any way acted illegally, the proper course is to

bring an action against him in this dourt.

I must therefore renew my demand that the firearms and

ammunition, as well as all the other articles, illegally

removed by the police from Mr. Too Yes Swee's house may be

sent to this Consulate without further delay.

I