§ 1. Captain FAIRFAXasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any evidence that the disturbances in China are fostered or aggravated by agents of another Government; and, if so, whether he has taken, or will take, diplomatic action to secure a cessation of such activities?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Austen Chamberlain)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. His Majesty's Government are giving close attention to the situation thus created.
§ 7. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of hours worked and the lowest age at which child workers were employed in the British-owned factories in Shanghai in January and in May, 1925, respectively; and if he will give the date upon which British factory owners enforced the recommendations of the Shanghai Municipal Committee without awaiting similar enforcement by their business competitors?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe statistics requested are not available. For information on conditions of labour, including child labour, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply returned to a question asked by the hon. Member for the Western Isles on the 15th instant. I am not in a position to give the date asked for in the last part of the question, but will make inquiries.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that in the Debate 1496 on this subject last Thursday he made the definite statement that the British-owned mills had so enforced these Regulations?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINI think my statement was that they had expressed their readiness to enforce them, but in any case I am making inquiries to ascertain the date when they were enforced, if in fact they are enforced.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONIn view of the importance of the question, will the right hon. Gentleman not give us the evidence, or an approximate statement of the evidence, upon which his statement last Thursday was based?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINI have no desire to conceal anything from the House. I am anxious to give the date and I am making inquiries to find out what the date was.
§ 11. Mr. LOOKERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will inform the House of the procedure which is necessary before the Land Regulations which govern the authority of the Shanghai Municipal Council can be extended or altered?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt is provided in the Land Regulations that questions involving their extension or alteration must be discussed and settled by the foreign consuls and the local Chinese authorities, subject to confirmation by the foreign representatives and supreme Chinese Government at Peking.
§ 12. Mr. LOOKERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affaire the number of the places in China where foreign jurisdiction is exercised; whether such jurisdiction extends to any adjacent Chinese cities in China; and whether there are any Chinese cities, apart from such Chinese quarters as exist in the areas of foreign settlements, over which any foreign jurisdiction exists?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINI assume that, the hon. Member's question refers to administration and not to jurisdiction over foreigners. There are 17 foreign settlements and concessions subject to foreign administration under Treaty provisions. The answers to the last two parts of the question are in the negative.
§ 19. Mr. JOHNSTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have any information that foreign Powers have supported, or any foreign Power has supported, either by munitions or money, the Chinese General Chang Tso Lin; and whether the House may be assured that no support is being, or will be, given by this country, either directly or indirectly, to any of the rival factions in China?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and to the second in the affirmative.
§ Mr. JOHNSTONIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to assure the House that the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation have not financed this General; and is it not the case that this particular banking corporation is a member of the Consortium which receives the approval and endorsement of His Majesty's Government?
§ Mr. CHAMBERLAINThat is entirely a different question. Perhaps the hon. Member will be good enough to put it on the Paper. What he asks me about is the action of foreign Governments, and not banks. I do not know anything about them.