§ 25. Mr. GODFREY LOCKER-LAMPSONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present position of the negotiations regarding the Boxer indemnity?
Mr. A. HENDERSONA settlement of this question was reached in September last, when Notes were exchanged between His Majesty's Minister in China and the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs. The correspondence will shortly be published as a White Paper. The settlement is subject to the approval of Parliament, and the requisite Bill will be introduced as soon as time can be found.
§ Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONIs the statement which has appeared in the Press true that a large sum of money is being handed over to the Chinese for the Canton and Hankow railway against the advice of the advisory committee?
§ Mr. MILLSIs the Secretary of State aware that the reason fur this cancellation of the Boxer indemnity lay in the voluntary renunciation of it by the Soviet Government seven years ago?
§ Mr. A. M. SAMUELIs it not a fact that our portion of the Boxer indemnity was earmarked for completing the Canton-Hankow railway, and is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Chinese have already dismissed the British engineer-in-chief of that railway, Mr. Valpy, and have withheld from him back pay amounting to 36,000 dollars? Will the Foreign Secretary take that into consideration?