London, Mar. 19.
In the House of Commons today at question time, Mr. P.J.H. Hannen, Unionist Member for the Moseley" Division of Bir-bingham,—s1 l, in the interests of British exporters, that the British Legation in Poking should he instructed to ce-operate With the other Legations to ensure ratification of Article 8 of the Mz. Arthue Ponsonby, the Under-Secretary of State for reign Affairs, replied that, if Tannon referred to the fact that this Article, which provides for the abolition of likin, had not beer, carried out by the Chinese authorities, he could assure him that His Majesty's Govornment wae fully alive to the im-Portance of the matter. They Were at present consulting Hi Majesty's Minister in Poking with regard to. the best moans of Healing with the question at the special conference to be hold in pursuance of the Nine Power realized groat difficulties Customs Treaty, but it must be. existed owing to the. present disorganized conditions in China and the Central Government's lack of cotitrol over money of the provine-ini authorities,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.