CO129-609-7 Future policy- New Terriroties- replacement of boundary stones at Sha Tau Kok 23-4-1948 - 28-1-1949 — Page 11

RESTRICTED
Secretariat file No:1/2911/46.
Copied to: British Embassy,
Nanking. Consul-General,
No: 29
Canton,
No. 88.
Sir,
No: 38
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG,
23rd April, 1948.
ROGEWED
7-MAY 1948
I have the honour to transmit herewith a photostatic copy of a self-explanatory memorandum signed in Hong Kong on the 17th April, 1948, by Chinese representa- tives and by representatives of this Government, in connection with the replacement of certain boundary stones on the Anglo- Chinese border at Shataulok. These boundary stones had been displaced during the period of the Japanese occupation. The actual stones were found lying not far from the places where they originally stood.
2.
The re-erection of these boundary stones was the culmination of efforts which have been made since May 1946 to persuade the Chinese authorities to send an inspection party in order that the stones might be jointly replaced. The long delay seems to have been due to the difficulty in securing coordination between the various Chinese authorities concerned in this question. It was not until March this year, when, at the urging of H.M. Consul General in Canton, Dr. T.V. Soong, Governor of Kwangtung, took a hand in the matter, that things began to move, It was pointed out to Dr. Soong that there was no question of delimiting a new frontier, but merely of returning the displaced boundary stones to their original positions for the administrative convenience of both sides.
3.
The Chinese representatives appointed for the purpose were headed by General HSU Ching Tang (# ), Commissioner for Civil Affairs, Kwangtung Provincial Government. The others included WONG Kai Hau ( 1 ) Po On District Magistrate (this being the area adjoining New Territories on the Chinese side), PAN Hsu Chung (
), a department
head in the Kwangtung Provincial Government, Civil Affairs Department, LI San Man ($ # A ) of the Canton Office of the Special Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, WU Hsin Hsiung (**) of the Hong Kong Office of the Special Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, and also, in an honorary
capacity, General CHU Li-chuan (FLR) who was awarded an 0.B.E. in 1946 for services rendered to the British when he was attached to the Headquarters of the 7th War Zone at Kukong during the war. The Hong Kong Government were represented by Mr. J. Barrow, O.B.E., District Officer, New Territories, Mr. C.B.B. Heathcote-Smith, Political Adviser, Mr. E.D. Stansfeld, Superintendent of Crown Lands and Surveys, and Mr. I.M. Gordon-Williams, District Officer, Taipo. Mr. C.M. Leung, a secretary from the British Consulate-General in Canton also came down to act as a liaison officer, and proved extremely helpful.
The Chinese representatives arrived at Shanchun railway station on the border on April 15th, and were met by Mr. Barrow and Mr. Heathcote-Smith. The party then proceeded to Shataukok where maps were produced by both sides and an C.O. KEGY. inspection carried out on the spot. Agreement on the location
bf the boundary stones in question was reached rapidly and
Duplo FO &
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ARTHUR CREECH JONES, M.P.
/amicably.