CO129-556-14 Chinese Seamen's Union- activities 1-7-1936 - 16-2-1937 — Page 80

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From the experience of attempted negotiations with the

Hong Kong Government in the past, we were always told that

we had to apply to the Colonial Office direct, knowing full

well, of course, that we had no possible means of doing

so at the time in question. In the meantime they set up

as a blind the Guild of Chinese Seamen which in Chinese

is (-------), comprising of seven instead of ten Chinese

characters as shown on the top of our letter papers.

There is already an increase of about three hundred

members since our affiliation to your Federation, and,

if we can succeed in re-establishing our Union in

Hong Kong we are quite confident that our membership can

easily return to the number of that enjoyed before the

fateful year 1927.

The whole affair is practically entirely in your

hands, and we sincerely hope that you will leave no stone

unturned to assist us in our endeavours to re-establish

our Union in Hong Kong. We shall, in the meantime,

also work very hard to attain our goal, but your co-

operation and advice is imperatively essential to our

success in the end.

Thanking you most profoundly in an ticipation

of your starting operations at your earliest convenience.

We beg to remain, etc.,

(Signed) by Chairman of National Centre and of

Canton Branch.)

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