Feo Oua Ows Coanesroxoure London, Apr. 28, The annual general meeting of the China Association was held recently in the offices of the P. & 0. steam Navigation Company. in Leadenhall Street. Amongst those present were Sir Cloud Severn, Sir 'Haviland deSaumarez, Lieut-General 'Sir George Macdonagh, Sir Gershom 'Stewart, Sir Charles' H. Stewart Lockhart, Messrs. H, W. Looker, Anderson, W. B. Kenneit, H. Robertson, A. Brooke-Smith, A. Harris, James Whittall, 'H. G. Gardner and C, Selby Morre, Events Twisted and Deformed Th Chairman (Mr. L. N. Leefe)
The year which has passed since met began in turmoil and te has, throughout tthe period, taken on various but they have all been twist deformed, and I wish I could say that a clear and definite outline was in sight, In the annual report issued to you a week ago the events of the past year have been told fully enough to make it unnecessary for me to recount them. On the other hand, except for the reproduction of ithe letter sent to the Foreign Offce regard to the Hankow agreement, ithe report contains very little in the {way of comment. Yet, at a time like this, you will naturally expect ~apvexptéssion of an opinion from Chair on some, at least, of the important and complicated issues at} present at stake in China, I believe I shall correctly respond to your feelings if I give vent, at! ithe outset, to. what is uppermost in own-mind, and: express sympathy jour deep sympathy—for our fellow-j; eountrymen in China who, during'
year, have tind to. endure vee tick, Thets has-been, whenever the subject of Chinn has arisen, with increasing frequency in this country, for discussion, a remarkable desire to see the Chinese point of view. Conciliation and patience have been reached and, I think, practised, to oan exceptional degree, but there has not always been a recognition of what our countrymen abroad have] hind to bear, and yot they have been tried to the utmost and have afforded examples which cannot, I think, fail] ultimately to have their influence on good relations we all so want restored, The Year's Outstanding Feature I imagine that, when the events of] the past year find their true histtotical perspective, the outstanding feature will be the Memorandum of the British Government of December ast. Coming when it did, it was a direct challenge to the sincerity of all, and particularly to the more! articulate and more vociferous ex-Ponents of the Nationalist Party. It was a declaration designed to meet the Chinese more than half-way—a real, if tardy, attempt to take the ead' when other countries only looked on. It placed, or should have laced, the leaders of Chinese opinion in the South on their mettle, and their response was what?—Hankow and Nanking.
T think the occasion of this, our annual meeting, should be taken for lear expression of the views of this Association on the Hankow Agreement. In form, in constitution, it differs fundamentally from the method of Municipal Administration to which we are accustomed. The lection of British Councillors may clearly be rendered nugatory; the Chairman of the Council is a political appointment; the decisions of the can be vetoed at the will Chinese official. It bears, in short, no shadow of relation to any views which are ever put forward in the name of democracy, but it met the Chinese wishes and, if actuated and pursued in a spirit of fairness and goodwill, its inherent incongruities might have been overcome and a measure of success attained. It was fan act of faith in the leaders of the Nationalist Party, What has been its reception by them and what is the lesson to be learnt from it? If we try and view it in a detached way, itis difficult to see to whom it has brought benefit Certainly not to the British, - who have suffered an immediate loss in depreciated assets and who have given up an efficient administration for one yet to be proved. Certainly] not to the' Chinese traders whose business has been brought to a standstill and whose wives and. children are fleeing for safety, probably. to Shanghai, where' alone they can be secure under protection of the Shanghai Defence Force. Certainly the new Municipality does not Dbenet, for its rule is over a depleted population, and a paralysed trade, The only Benefit it has accomplished if it has made its repetition possible elsewhere.
What has been made clear is that, however desirous the Chinese may have been to keep their share of the Agreement, events have unquestionably proved that they have not the power. I'do not know whether you have yet had an opportunity of read ing the report of the annual meeting of ratepayers on Tientsin, which has Just reached this country. Tt is an Mlaminating commentary on the blow which credit and efficient administration have received from the Prospect of a fate befalling Tientsin similar to that, which has overtaken Hankow. I trast it may be possible for those fears to be definitely layed. No less bad has been the effect in Shanghai, where the Municipality is tacod with great dificalles. in financing itself. daring. the [coming year by. reason of confidence municipal debentures - having! seriously: diminished.
Hope for-no Fresh Negotiations In the revision of the administration of Tientsin Concession, and in the larger question of the future ministration of the International] Settlement of Shanghai, closer cooperation with the Chinese is an aim towards which all our minds are directed, but the values at stake show, in the light of recent events, the vital need for changes in. administration being safeguarded at every step. At the moment there, {s, I hope, no intention of entering Into any' fresh negotiations. The opinion of your committee is that, in view of all that has happened since the Hankow Agreement was igned, the Government ought to decline absolutely and immovably to enter into any fresh negotiations until it has received complete satisfaction for the outrages fat Nanking, and until it reliable assurances that it is dealing with responsible parties who will honour their agreements,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.