CO129-510-7 Allegations of discrimination against United States companies in Hong Kong 22-3-1928 - 8-1-1929 — Page 71

L

In any further communication this subject, please quote

No.

A 1752/1752/45

and address-

not to any person by name,

but to-

'The Under-Secretary of State,"

Foreign Office,

London, S.W.1.

CÉ VED

23 MAR 1928

OL. OFFIC

37

FOREIGN OFFICE,

기

S.W.1.

22nd March, 1928.

1 2 APH 1928

город

(2) Jung 1544g

Sir,

I am directed by Secretary Sir Austen Chamberlain to

inform you that Mr. F.L.Belin, First Secretary to the United

States Embassy, called at this department on the 9th instant

in order to draw attention to two instances of alleged

discrimination against Unit ed States interests in Hongkong.

2. Mr. Belin stated that by an Order No.689 of November

19th, 1927, no licences are to be issued in Hongkong for

the running of motor omnibuses in the public streets unless

the vehicles are of British manufacture. He added that it

had also been intimated to the owners of cars plying for

hire that the inspection of vehicles would be more frequent

and more severe in all cases where they were not of British

manufacture,

3. Mr. Belin also declared that correspondence had taken

place between the Association of American Underwriters and

the Colonial Secretary, Hongkong in regard to discrimination

against United States Insurance Companies. In a letter

dated November 19th last the Association drew the Colonial

Secretary's attention to the fact that advances from what

Mr. Belin described as the Trade Ioan Fund were refused to

firms whose property was insured with other than British

Insurance Companies. Mr. Belin stated that the Colonial

Secretary in his reply of December 9th last had confirmed

that this practice was in fact followed.

زام

The Under-Secretary of State,

Colonial Office.

4.