§ Mr. E. C. GRENFELLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that a contract has been made by the Chinese Government on behalf of the Peking-Mukden Railway with a Dutch firm for the construction of Halutac Harbour, payment for which involves funds which belong to British creditors, and that one British firm alone has a debt outstanding against this railway of £630,000; and, seeing that the railway company in question now has surplus revenue which should be devoted to the redemption of past debts instead of for 1788W new projects, has he taken any steps to safeguard the interests of British manufacturers?
Mr. A. HENDERSONI am aware of the conclusion of this contract. Strong representations have been made to the Chinese authorities to safeguard the interests of British creditors having prior claims on the revenues of the Peking-Mukden Railway, and the matter will not not be lost sight of.