§ 14. Mr. NORMAN CRAIGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he will ask the consent of the other members of the four-Power group and of the Chinese Government to the publication of the text of the agreements of the 9th March and the 17th May, 1912, between the Government of the Republic of China and the four-Power group?
§ Mr. ACLANDAs I informed the hon. Member for Plymouth on the 14th ultimo, I consider that it would be unfair to disclose details of the negotiations between the Chinese Government and the groups until a settlement has been arrived at, but when that has been done, I will ask the consent of the groups to their publication.
§ 15. Mr. NORMAN CRAIGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that, by an agreement in 1895 between the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and the Deutsche-Asiatische Bank, all Chinese Government business obtained by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation had to be shared equally with the Deutsche-Asiatische Bank, and vice versa; whether such agreement was by its terms terminable by one year's notice from the last day of any current year; and whether His Majesty's Government, before giving exclusive support to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, were aware that by the agreement above-named, if still in force, one-half of its Chinese business was diverted to a German house?
§ Mr. ACLANDThe agreement referred to was superseded by later agreements admitting French and American groups to partnership with the British and German (1909 and 1910). The last of these agreements is still in force, and is terminable 1244 by six months' notice from the last day of the current year. I have repeatedly stated that the exclusive support given by His Majesty's Government to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank is for the Reorganisation Loan and no other, and that the business in connection with this loan will be equally divided between the six groups who compose the six-Power consortium.
§ Mr. NORMAN CRAIGWould the hon. Gentleman explain how the Foreign Office are able to give answers as to the relations between these different banks when it suits their book, and they find public policy does not permit them to answer when it does not suit their book?
§ Mr. ACLANDWe must give answers to such questions as are asked in the House, but we do not think it right to publish confidential agreements and negotiations between the group and the Chinese Government while negotiations are still going on.
§ 16. Mr. NORMAN CRAIGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether negotiations are continuing between the six-Power group and the Government of China in regard to a reorganisation loan, and what is the present position of such negotiations; and whether, having regard to the fact that the exclusive support of the Government to the international group of bankers is limited to the period of such negotiations, he will say how long a period will be allowed to pass for the ascertainment of the success or failure of such negotiations?
§ Mr. ACLANDA telegram has just been received from His Majesty's Minister at Peking, reporting that negotiations between the Chinese Government and the six-Power group were officially resumed yesterday. I am unable to answer the second part of the question.