§ 6. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs upon what date His Majesty's Minister to China was last in Nanking and Shanghai, respectively; and what was the period of his stay on each occasion?
§ Sir J. SIMONHis Majesty's Minister proceeded to Nanking from Peking on. 11th March last. On 1st April he went on to Shanghai where he remained till 8th April. On his way back to Peking, he made a further short stay in Nanking. I should like to add that His Majesty's Minister, since his arrival in the Far East last year, has spent a very considerable portion of his time in Central and South China, not only at Nanking and Shanghai, but also visiting other points where important British interests are situated. In November last, for instance, he paid a visit of several weeks to Canton and the south-western regions.
§ Sir A. KNOXOn the average, how many days a year does His Majesty's Minister spend in the capital, Nanking?
§ Sir J. SIMONI should require notice of that question.
§ Lieut.-Commander AGNEWAre not the Minister's residential quarters in Nanking finished and at his disposal?
§ Sir J. SIMONAs my hon. and gallant Friend probably knows, the accommodation at Nanking is being enlarged for the purpose of enabling His Majesty's representative to live there in tolerable comfort—at present the place is very inconvenient—for a much more substantial part of the year.
§ 7. Mr. MOREINGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Consulate-General in Nanking is to be replaced by a Consulate?
§ Sir J. SIMONThere is no question of reducing the status of the consular officer at Nanking whose substantive rank is that of Consul with, until a short time ago, local rank of Consul-General. It was recently decided that, in order to facilitate the work of his Majesty's Diplomatic Mission at Nanking, this officer should, concurrently with his consular rank, be appointed an additional secretary of legation with local rank of first secretary. The effect of this change is that, while the officer in question has ceased to hold the local rank of Consul-General, he retains his substantive rank of Consul and, in addition while at Nanking, has become a member of the diplomatic staff of the Mission.
§ 46. Sir A. KNOXasked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will state the progress made in the way of providing adequate residential and office accommodation in Nanking for His Majesty's Minister to China?
§ The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Mr. Ormsby-Gore)It has been decided to give His Majesty's Minister, or his personal representative, the exclusive use of the house originally provided for His Majesty's Consul at Nanking, and this house is now about to be improved and enlarged at a cost of approximately £6,000. Provision of this amount has been taken in the Vote for Public Buildings Overseas, 1935. The offices and staff are housed in rented buildings which have recently been modernised and improved. These are in a compound adjoining the Consular compound.
§ Sir A. KNOXCan the right hon. Gentleman say when it will be ready, in 1688 view of the importance of His Majsety's Minister being in touch with the Government of Nanking?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREWe cannot proceed with any expenditure until the Vote is through. It was passed a few weeks ago and the work was put in hand as soon as possible.