§ 3. Mr. LOOKERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the annual sums due from the Chinese authorities concerned as a contribution towards the expenses of main taining the Hupeh road, in the ex-British concession at Hankow, pursuant to the agreement of the 29th June, 1926, 1740 between the Chinese authorities, the late British municipal council, and His Majesty's Consul-General at Hankow, are not being duly paid; and will he state what steps he proposes to take to get the terms of the agreement carried out?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Austen Chamberlain)I have received a report on this matter. Representations to the local authorities have been made by His Majesty's Consul-General at Hankow.
§ 4 and 5. Mr. LOOKERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether he is aware that the garrison commander of the Chinese troops at Hankow and other Chinese Government officials are constantly interfering with the director of the bureau established by the Chen-O'Malley agreement, and issuing orders to him which are contrary to the regulations made pursuant so such agreement, and that such interference is undermining the authority of the council of the bureau and rendering the proper and efficient administration of the district an impossible task; and what action he proposes to take in the matter:
(2) whether His Majesty's Minister at Peking has received any representations from the British members of the council established by the Chen-O'Malley agreement as to the difficulties encountered by them in impartially carrying out the terms of that agreement and their duties thereunder owing to the obstruction of Chinese Government departments; whether any and, if so, what reply has been sent to such representations; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI have received reports from His Majesty's Minister at Peking regarding the difficulties arising in Special administrative District No. 3 at Hankow on account of the interference of various Chinese authorities together with the text of the representations made on the subject by the British councillors. Representations have been made to the Minister for Foreign Affairs at Nanking, who has promised to issue instructions that there must be no outside interference with the former British concession, and Sir Miles Lampson is continually pressing Dr. Wang to ensure that his instructions are effective.