CO129-518-1 Chinese Telegraph Office in Hong Kong 28-6-1929 - 3-1-1930 — Page 64

Enol. No.1.

2.

69

previous corresponden cs, you will find that Mr. Kong was

persona grata to the Hong Kong Government, being a commer-

cial man and a British-born subject. He is of Cantonese ori-

gin and not a native of Kwangsi province. His appointmen t

was made by the Canton Government, of which at that time Mar-

shal Li Chai-sum was the head.

3.

Since Mr. Kong assumed duty, the Chinese Telegraph

office in Hong Kong has worked satisfactorily without any

hithh and without any political trouble. Moreover, there

has been an agreeable respite from the peculation and general

corruption for which this office had previously been notor-

ious.

4.

Everything was working smoothly, when on the lat

May a certain Mr. Wu Min ( Hu Mien) was introduced to

the acting Secretary for Chinese Affairs in this Colony by

one of the Chinese members of my Legislatite Council, and

stated that the Hanking Government had appointed him to take

charge of the Chinese Telegraph office in Hong Kong. Mr.

Wu produced credentials (in Chinese) from the Board of Com-

munications at Hanking. On the matter being submitted to me,

I directed that Mr. Wu should be informed that a formal re-

quest for a change in the appointment of Superintendent of

the Chinese Telegraph Office in Hong Kong should be addressed

to me by the Chinese Government through yourself, and that

pending such procedure Mr. Kong must remain at his post.

Nevertheless, on the 13th May, Mr. Wu appears to have noti❤

fied Mr. Kong that he intended at once to take over charge

of the Telegraph Office. At

he addressed a

letter in Chinese (translation attached) to the Colonial Sec-

retary, confirming this notification, The Colonial Secretary

replied on the 21st May that in the absence of any official

notification from the Chinese National Government through your-

self, the Hong Kong Government was unable

same