The question of the control of British companies in China by the Consular authorities has been seriously discussed for some time past, especially in view of the notorious fact that the British authorities in China were not able to exercise any adequate control over such com-Panies. Of course, it was open for an aggrieved party to take the matter to Court; but the process was tedious, and' in several in-much of the needed information. So long as by merely registering in London or Hongkong, the companies became British, the Consular authorities, say, in Shanghai, had no power to ask for any information. Even under the Hongkong Ordin-the company registered once British company remains British, whatever radical changes may take place in the management; and there was no power to refuse registration 90 long as the fees were paid and no direct delinquency was Proved against the management of the company.
New Powers of Control.
The new regulations under Amended Order in Council will remedy this state of affairs. The executive has a right to demand r gistration and the needed inform tion about companies, registered a8 British, whether in' England or in any other Britiah possession. If the executive has reason to be dissatisfied with the position of the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.