In reply to questions put to him, Professor Soothill on Tuesday said:
We are not able to say yet what 1g to be done with the money, The whole matter awaits, the fullest consideration by the representatives out here, and we hope next week to meet to consider the matter. The British Government has been very anxious that the representation of British and Chinese fon the spot should be absolutely. equal. This was a matter that was impressed very particularly on the Statutory Committee at Home, that whatever was done out here should be on the basis of an equality of membership. This is a matter of prime importance—that there should be no desire to outnumber the Chinese members in voting power, as seems to have been thought by. some. It is in the power of the Chinese to create a similar advisory commission here of Chino: we created our advisory commission at Home, and the Government has appointed us to come out here and meet them in equal membership, and they are made members of the statutory commission, There has been no intention to have them in it is not an empty-handed gift. The money has gone in the past to the assistance of British revenue, and i future this will not be so, It mi be thought that, forming as it does only a very small part of the revenue of the British Government this might be regarded as almost 'a negligible matter, and doubtless many people in-this country look-on it as-such, but this is a mistake—Burdened' with' debt" as Great a minority, but the principle gives equal value to their vote, and we shall value their advice very. highly."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.