CO129-521-14 Chinese Customs- proposed agreement with Hong Kong 31-10-1930 - 10-1-1931 — Page 31

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Note of Meeting in Sir Gilbert Grindle's room

on the 8th of January to discuss draft Customs

Agreement between Hong Kong and China.

PRESENT.

Sir John Pratt

Mr. Howeit.

Mr. F.A.Griffiths.

Mr. R.G.W. Stacy.

Sir Gilbert Grindle.

Mr. Calder.

Mr. Paskin.

Foreign Office.

Commercial Relations and Treaties,Board of Trade.

}

Colonial Office.

Sir Gilbert Grindle explained that the object

of the Meeting was to agree finally a araft

Agreement which could be signed, if and when, the

Chinese were willing to sign. He first asked

whether any amendments of substance were desiredy

iredy

Sir John Pratt said that the Foreign Office had

already been met and no further amendments were

desired by them, me Mr. Griffiths said that the

Board of Trade only wished to suggest the substi-

tution for "vessel" in Article XII(a) of "junk

or launch". He explained that the existing

wording gave Hong Kong a very wide right of

seizure which might be an unfortunate precedent

in