§ 2. Mr. MOREINGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with regard to the continuing default of the Tientsin-Pukow railway loan, whether payments are being regularly made as promised into a reserve account intended for the eventual liquidation of the loan; and, if not, when the last payment was made and what instalment it represented?
§ Sir J. SIMONThe answer to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is, No, Sir. In regard to the second part, I am informed that the last payment was made in October of this year representing the instalment due in September of last year.
§ Mr. MOREINGWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for his reply, may I ask whether he is aware that the Tientsin-Pukow Railway Company now claim that their traffic receipts are greater than they have ever been and yet evade every obligation under the original concession, including an obligation to appoint an English traffic manager? Will the right hon. Gentleman bring the utmost pressure to bear, through the appropriate channels, on the Chinese Government to see that this default is ended?
§ Sir J. SIMONHis Majesty's Minister has frequently made representations on the subject of this indebtedness and will continue to press for a full and prompt carrying out of the promises made by the Chinese Government in this connection.
§ 3. Mr. MOREINGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reply he has received from the Chinese Government to his suggestion made at the beginning of the year that the competent department of the Chinese Government should forthwith, in consultation with the commercial counsellor of His Majesty's Legation, devise means for resuming the interest services of the railway loans now in default?
§ Sir J. SIMONIn response to the suggestion from His Majesty's Minister to China a representative of the Chinese Ministry of Railways was appointed to discuss with His Majesty's commercial counsellor the question of railway loans in arrears. Discussion were duly initiated and were repeated at intervals during the present year until the departure in August last of His Majesty's commercial counsellor for duty in this country where he is discussing the position with British interests concerned. On his return an opportunity will be sought of renewing the discussions with the object of achieving a practical solution of the problem.