§ Mr. SPOORasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has recently received a request for a loan of up to £3,000,000 from the Government of Hong Kong; for what purposes the loan is required; whether he has any information as to the likelihood of this application being followed by others of a similar character; what reply he has given to the request; and whether any steps have been taken on behalf of His Majesty's Government towards bringing the boycott of British trade at Hong Kong to an end?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREYes, Sir; the Governor applied in September last for a loan up to the amount mentioned for the purpose of restoring confidence and increasing the supply of money available for financing trade. Arrangements were made to give effect to the Governor's wishes and the making available of the sum in question saved the Colony at a serious moment. It is possible that if the boycott continues and trade conditions get worse further assistance may have to be considered next year. In reply to the last, part of the question, I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Yarmouth (Sir F. Meyer) by my hon. Friend the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs last Wednesday.