To the Editor of the "Nort-Cama Datty News."
Si1r,—Under the above caption the '"'Hongkong Daily Press" of the 27th ultimo has an interesting leading article in which the writer asserts, when one calls to mind the speed with which the much bigger undertaking of the retrocession- of Kiaochou. was carried into effect, it does seem surprising that the leisurely negotiations in the case of Weihaiwei have not excited already a good deal of critical comment in Japan."
It would seem, Sir, that there is much misapprehension as to what really has occurred at Tsingtao. It is true that the Japanese forces have been withdrawn—to be followed promptly by the seizure of the town by local bandits, now busily engaged in the equally honourable occupation of "protecting" the place as its policemen! But the "speed" with which the Tsingtao negotiations were carried through is largely due to the fact that two important questions have been reserved for settlement by the diplomats of the two Governments, questions of the extremest importance to private interests. They are, (1) adequate representation of foreign interests in municipal affairs:" (2) "due safeguarding of foreign property rights.' (The quotations are from Lord Balfour's Note of February 3, 1922, to Mr.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.