CO129-521-13 Chinese Customs- proposed agreement with Hong Kong 27-8-1930 - 16-10-1930 — Page 395

(6)

See 59 on previous ref. file

1

b 4 0.

B/T.

36

Paraphrase telegrain from the

16397

Governor of Hong KoDE

to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Dated 31st July, 1930.

(Received Colonial Office 11 a.m. 31st July*30)

No.85 of 30th July.

30 June 7

Your Secret telegram of the 1st July regarding the

Cus.oms agreement.

Following developments have taken place, Doubtless under instructions from his head office local head of Butterfields on 31st May declared complete change of view and advocated full surrender to demands of Chinese including if necessary sacrifice of

Article 10. He

endeavoured apparently to induce other unofficials who were present at meeting of 14th May to support him put did not succeed. Local Commissioner or Customs by direction of Maze handed to my staff copies of the so called confidential

publication

entitled Hong Kong Chinese Customs including two copies for Legislative and Executive Councils. Print contains November 1929 text

of draft

agreement. It cannot be circulated to Legislative

Council as publication of Agreement has not been authorised. I consider this an effort at

propaganda not designed to facilitate friendly negotiations. An importent object of the

publication appears to be to draw attention

to

punitive measures set forth in it to be adopted

in the event of Hong Kong proving recalcitrant and strike note generally of unilateral demand supported

by threats rather than negotiations for mutual

exchange (?) of advantages between friendly

States.

Wes

It I stated by maze that he did not

object