CO129-521-13 Chinese Customs- proposed agreement with Hong Kong 27-8-1930 - 16-10-1930 — Page 367

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22nd August, 1970.

Dear Norton,

Sir S.Wilson, who is at the moment on leave,

thought that Sir R.Vansittart might be interested to read

the enclosed extract from a letter rhich he received from

the Governor of Hong Kong about the proposed Custoas

Agreement with the Chinese. I am not sending cories

of Sir W. Peel's correspondence with Sir H.Lampson as it

appears that copies have already been sent to the Foreign

Office from Peking.

The Colonial Office have consider ble sympathy with the Governor in his effort to negotiate an agreement with the Chinese Crstoms. Since Sir Miles Lampson appears

gener lly to share his view that this onestion should be

treated as a Customs matter, for the purpose of preventing

smuggling, and should be hammered out by experts rather thm

that the Chinese should be permitted to make it the

occasion for a purely political attempt designed to placate

C.J.Norton,Esq.

irredentist