§ MR. LEA (St. Pancras, E.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can communicate to the House any information regarding the Kowloon-Canton railway project, especially with regard to that section of the line which will pass through British territory; whether, for a period of about six months, rapid and substantial progress was made in the construction of this section of the line by the Public Works Department of the Government of the Crown Colony of Hong-Kong; that in the month of April the Colonial Government was relieved of further responsibility in the matter, and that the work is now being continued by a special staff of engineers appointed by the Crown Agents under the sole and direct authority of His Majesty's Colonial Office; and, if so, will he state the reasons for withdrawing the undertaking from the management of the Government of the Colony of Hong-Kong.
§ MR. CHURCHILLNegotiations are still proceeding with the Chinese Government for the construction and working of a line from Canton to Kowloon. The British section, which is in active progress, has been constructed from the first under the supervision of the consulting engineer, and there has been no change of policy in this respect. All the steps taken have had the full concurrence of the Governor of Hong-Kong.