Arthur Henderson, said during the Past two years fifteen British sub-Jeets had been captured in China and had escaped, but eight others were murdered and one died in captivity. 'The National Government realized and discharged "as far as they could their responsibility in ensuring adequate protection to British subjects. Most of the outrages, he informed the House, occurred' in remote places where the Government, although they had Jurisdiction. did' not exercise effective control, Mr. Henderson the British' authorities in China could be relied on to afford British subjects such power. that any farther steps need be considered.
Mr, J. S. Wardlaw-Milne, (Conservative), asked if every care was taken to warn those going oyt to districts where the administration was ineffective that it was unwise to do s0.
The Foreign Secretary said was very difficult to say what steps could be taken. Assistance was. given in every way in these matters.
Replying to Sir Austen Chamber-who suggested warning mis-mary societies, Mr, Henderson said he know missionary societies did not like outside interference in these matters. Missionaries, he! added, went out asa matter of, conscience and took a risk, Replying to questions in. the! House of Commons to-day on the subject of extraterritoriality, the Foreign Secretary, Mr, Arthur Henderson, said that an agreement had been reached is a large number of details, the proposed treaty providing, on the one bund, for fauster of jurisdiction over British subjects in China from British to Chinese courts and, dh the other safeguards relating to, the ration of justice, which were calculated to give a feel confidence and security to rationals and British interests under the new regime, A serious obstacle to a speaiy and successful conclusion of the negotiations had, however, arisen connection with certain' import-sty Ports which, in the view Majesty's Government, must be excluded from the provisions of the Treaty until changes are made_ in the Municipal administration those ports to meet the new situ tion created by abolition of extraterritorial rights.
Mr. Henderson said that this at titude of His Majesty's Government influenced not only by consition of the chaos that must any sudden change of vietion in the ports in ques but also by the fact that they' sould not alone decide the ques-since other Powers were also concerned.
'As a way out of the difficulty, the' Foreign, Secretory continued, His Majesty's Government had recently suggested to the Chinese Government that they would prepared, immediately on the com clusion of a treaty, to agree th appointment of a' special comm's sion which would proceed forthwith to study the whole problem of re served areas with a view to find ing a satisfactory solution. Unfortunately, the Chinese Government had not seen their way to agree cither with the viewpoint of His Majesty's Government on the question of reserved areas or to the appointment of the suggested commission.
Mr, Henderson added: "His Majesty's Government, however, have of: abandoned hope that, if, time allowed for further discussion, 2 solution of this one outstanding dit ficulty will be found, and there no need to emphasize our sincere]
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.