CO129-521-13 Chinese Customs- proposed agreement with Hong Kong 27-8-1930 - 16-10-1930 — Page 74

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the question in an atmosphere of suspicion and recrimination,

which makes a satisfactory solution exceedingly difficult

to find now.

The Legation has, in

3. The files of this Legation do not give any very

clear account of the history of the question. The corres-

pondence is scattered and disjointed.

fact, only been called upon to play a spasmodic part in the

negotiations that have taken place from time to time, and

the various agreements that have been framed at intervals

have been drafted at Hong Kong between the representatives

of the Government of the Colony and the Chinese Customs

without reference to the Legation. It is therefore diffi-

oult for me to assess the importance in practice that is to

be attached to many of their stipulations.

Prior to my last visit to Nanking, the Commercial

Secretary drew up for me the confidential memorandum, & copy

of which is enclosed, giving an outline of the more recent

history of the question as far as he could discover it from

the correspondence in the files of the Legation, together

with copies of such of the various draft agreements as are

available here. This memorandum summarises in a succinct

form the history of the recent attempts that have been made

to settle the question, and the arguments that have been

used by the parties interested in relation to it. Mr. Maz

has recently also furnished me with a copy of an interest-

ing Compendium by Mr. Stanley Wright, Personal Secretary to

the Inspector-General, covering the relations between Hong

(11)Kong and the Chinese Customs since 1842 (Inspectorate

Series No. 7 (Confidential) 1930). I have no doubt that

Mr. Stephenson, the Commissioner in charge of the Customs

Office