§ 41. Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, the amount of the financial sacrifice or saving involved, in so far as his Department is concerned, by the terms of the agreement recently signed between the Nationalist Government of China and the Councillor of His Majesty's Legation at Peking for the dissolution of the British municipality at Hankow after l5th March next?
§ Captain HACKING (for The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS)The full text of the agreement is not yet available, and I am not, therefore, in a position to answer the hon. Member's question.
§ 44. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British War memorial at Hankow was damaged by Chinese during the recent trouble; what the damage consists of; and what action has been taken?
The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Austen Charnbertain)Some damage was done to the War memorial at Hankow on the over-running of the British concession by Chinese on 4th January. Mr. Chen at once made profound apologies on behalf of himself and of the Nationalist Government, and undertook to effect the necessary repairs. I have no exact details of the extent of the damage.
§ Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKECan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the repairs have been effected?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI can scarcely anticipate that they have been effected so soon.
§ 51. Mr. LOOKERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he 23 is aware that anti-British posters continue to be put up in Hankow since the signature of the agreement; and will he make representations to Mr. Eugene Chen on the matter?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir: I am informed that posters in English addressed to British sailors have been posted at Hankow. Mr. O'Malley will, I presume, call Mr. Chen's attention to any proceedings incompatible with the assurances given by him and with the agreement recently signed.
§ Mr. LOOKERIs or is not this further outbreak of anti-British agitation a breach of the agreement which was arrived at at Hankow?
§ 57. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the anti-British outbreak at Hankow; and can he give the House any information on the matter?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINIn a telegram dated 24th February, His Majesty's Consul-General at Hankow reports that a, general holiday was proclaimed on that day and that all employés were summoned to attend a mass meeting at noon to celebrate the Nationalist victories and to protest against the presence of British forces at Shanghai. Subsequently a procession of labour unions, taking 1½ hours to pass a given point, paraded through the concessions. The procession was quite orderly and there was no incident of any kind, nor were there any demonstrations against the Consulates. By 4 p.m. everything was quite normal.