HC Deb 08 July 1925 vol 186 cc436-8W
Mr. MACLEAN

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the terms of the proposed regulations concerning child labour in the factories at Shanghai, and the nature of the bye-laws relating to wharfage dues and the freedom of the press which were to have been submitted to the ratepayers' meeting on 2nd June?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

The proposals of the Shanghai Municipal Council regarding child labour will be found on pages 108 to 110 of the Blue Book recently presented to Parliament respecting labour conditions in China. The pro- posed bye-laws relating to wharfage dues and printed matter are as follow:

"Wharfage Dues.

Resolution III.—The Land Regulation IX in so far us it refers to the collection of Wharfage Dues and which at present reads: — 'And it shall also be competent to the said Meeting or a majority thereof as aforesaid, to impose other rates and taxes in the form of dues on all goods passed through the Chinese Custom-house by any person or persons resident within the said limits, or landed, shipped or transhipped at any place within the said limits; provided the said rates or taxes levied in the form of dues shall in no case exceed the Amount of One-tenth of One Per Cent. on the Value of the goods so passed, landed, shipped or transhipped.'

be amended to read: — 'and it shall also be competent to the said Meeting or a majority thereof as aforesaid, to impose other rates and taxes in the form of dues on all goods passed through the Chinese Custom-house by any person or persons resident within the said limits or landed, shipped or transhipped at any place within the said limits; provided the said rates or taxes levied in the form of dues shall in no case exceed Three Per Cent. of the Customs Duty on the goods so passed, landed, shipped or transhipped.'

Registration of Printers and Publishers.

Resolution IV. —That the following Bye-law be passed, approved and numbered XXXVA:— "Printed Matter.—Any person who shall print (which term shall for the purposes of this bye-law include any mechanical mode of reproduction) or publish, or cause to be printed or published, any newspaper, pamphlet, circular, handbill, leaflet, placard or other paper containing public: news, intelligence or occurrences or any remarks or observations thereon, and shall not prior to such printing or publishing have registered or caused to be registered, in the case of foreigners with the Consul of the nationality to which such person belongs and otherwise with the Municipal Council, his name and usual places of abode and business, or shall knowingly have made or caused to be made any misrepresentation or omission whereby such registration shall be misleading; and any person who 6hall print any paper whatsoever which shall be meant to be published or dispersed and who shall not print upon the front of every such paper, if the same shall be printed upon one side only, or upon the first or last or editorial leaf of every paper which shall consist of more than one leaf, in legible characters, his name and usual places of abode and business; and any person who shall publish or disperse, or assist in publishing or dispersing any such paper on which the name and usual places of abode and business of the person printing the same shall not be printed as aforesaid, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars or to imprisonment not exceeding three months or to any such other penalty as shall be prescribed by the law to which such person is amenable.'