CO129-507-9 Chinese Telegraph Office- Hong Kong- transfer to Cantonese control 4-1-1928 - 20-7-1928 — Page 88

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Government would do well to preserve secrecy in this

matter until the day for action arrived, as otherwise

Mr. Lau Cheuk-pan might, while still in occupation, injure

the plant or abscond with the funds of his office. 1

thought it desirable to give this hint, because rumours

of the proposed appointment to this office of a Cantonese

nominee had already got into the Canton vernacular press.

This news must have come to the notice of Mr. Lau and have

been telegraphed by him to Peking, for on the 22nd March,

Mr. Newton, who was acting as Chargé d'Affaires during the absence of Sir Miles Lampson in South China, telegraphed

to me that General Tsao, confidential agent of General

Yang Yu-ting and representating the wai-chiao-pu, had

called on him the previous day and requested him to

telegraph to me to retain Mr. Lau in office. General

Tsao added that General Yang Yu-ting had instructed him to

enquire urgently about a report which had been received

that negotiations between Hong Kong and the Canton

authorities had been proceeding and were on the point of

completion for handing over control of the office to a

nominee of the Canton authorities. Marshal Chang Tso-lin,

he said, was extremely perturbed at this report. Further- more, on the 30th March, Mr. Newton telegraphed to me that

the Wai-chiao-pu had addressed him in an official communication, protesting against the alleged intention to hand over the office to a Canton appointee and requesting the maintenance of the status quo.

4.

Meanwhile, lir. Brenan wrote to me on the

22nd March