§ MR. MITCHELL-THOMSONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the number of dismissals of British employees from the Chinese Northern Railways; whether Article 6 of the Loan Contract of 10th October, 1908, expressly restricted the right of dismissal to cases of incompetency and misconduct; and what steps His Majesty's Government propose to take, in view 935 of the British financial interests involved in the railways, to prevent the persistent violation of this article.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYI am informed that two traffic inspectors on the railway have received notices of dismissal, and Mr. Kinder, the Engineer-in-Chief, has protested to the Director against the step; but no official information has reached His Majesty's Minister in China either from Mr. Kinder or from the British and Chinese Corporation as agents of the bondholders. Sir John Jordan is, however, inquiring into the matter, and as to the bearing of Article 6 of the Loan Contract of 10th October, 1898, on these cases. The article in question provides that the principal members of the railway staff may, in the event of their misconduct or incompetency, be dismissed after consultation with the Chief Engineer.