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Puisne Judge or by any temporary occupant of that office).
H. The following words should be added at the end of subsection 4
Clause 8 "and as to the amount of compensation to be awarded".
I. The words "or undertaking" should be inserted after the words
"any property" in clause 10.
11. As regards the latter part of paragraph 4 of your letter under reply relating to repercussions in China the Committee think it desirable that your Department should get into touch with the appropriate Department of the Foreign Office on this question in order that the views of the Foreign Office on this aspect of the
Bill may be ascertained and considered by your Department.
The Committee would regard any Bill which aroused apprehensions of
this nature as a serious menace to existing British interests in
China, which the changing conditions in that country render it
vital to protect.
12. I am further directed to point out that the arbitrary
taking of land for urban improvements is by no means the only
danger which the Committee has in mind; far more serious than this
may be the danger arising from the interference with or confisca-
tion of marine or riparian rights or pier or wharfage facilities
enjoyed or possessed in China by British concerns. The Chinese
authorities would undoubtedly be only too ready to seize the example
set them by the Government of Hongkong to interfere freely with
such rights and facilities as are alluded to above nor could the
interests of the owners of such rights or facilities be as fully
secured in China as is, or should be the case in Hongkong. Any
rights of compensation, even if they were admitted, would be too
apt to prove to be of an illusory nature, nor would the claimants
have the satisfaction of knowing that their claims would be dealt
with by a competent and responsible judiciary. It is therefore,
in the view of the Committee, of the highest importance that no ex-
cuse should be afforded to the Chinese authorities by any action
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