The National Government has issued a-mandate to-night appointing Vice-3finister for Foreign Of Yairs, Mr. Wang Caia-ching, as Special Commissioner for the taking over of Weihaiwei.
Mr, Hsu Chu-shan has been ap-Pointed Special Commissioner for the administration of Wethaiwei—
Reuter.
The Chinese delegation appointed to assume control of Weihaiwei left on Sunday for the i two parties, one travelling Tsingtao and the other directly for Weihaiwei, According to Chinese press reports, the National Government has, in addition to Mr, Wang Chia ching, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Special Government Commissioner for the Rendition of Weihaiwei, appointed si Messrs. Hsu Chu-hsien, chou, K, L. Kwong, Kuo Cho-kuan, Lao Wei-shin, and Fong Tsu-pa assist the ViceMinister in taking over the port from Great Britain, Nanking, Sept. 27.
In accordance with the recom mendation of Mr. F. W, Maze, the Inspector-General of Customs, ' the Minister of Finance, Mr.
Soong, has decided to establish a branch Customs office at Weihaiwei.
The new Customs Office will be one of the branch offices of the Customs Administration at Chefoo, Weihaiwei, Sept. 29.
Brilliant sunshine and a cloudless} blue sky marked the penultimate act of the British Government before the rendition of—Weihaiwei when all the headmen of the Territory villages assembled this morn-Ing at the Government offices to hid farewell to, the Commissioner, Sir R. F, Johnston, the course of his speech to} the Headmen, Sir R. F, Johnston said it had been the custom for many years for the Commissioner to hold quarterly meetings headmen to discuss affairs lendly informal way and to keep] in touch with the 180,000 population of the Territory.
To-day, he raid, was a special occasion and the Inst opportunity he would have of speaking to them as the Head of the British Administration which had conducted the affairs of the Territory for 32] years. He thanked them for their! assistance in pres for their help in th of justice, The Comm: y to the Chi and _espec' local police which vady still had nine members from the Chinese] regiment of soldiers.
Continuing, Sir R, F. Johnston referred to {he nervousness in the Territory regarding the immediate ture and in this connection he announced that the British Government had obtained satisfactory assurance from the Chinese Govern. ment tha the latter would afford full protection and guarantee immunity from disaster. These assurances, said His Excellency, had been given by Dr. C. T. Wang, the aruking to the Miles: Lamp-a written statement accepting. full responsibility that China acwould be able to fulfill these obligations. it R.P. Johnston then read a tele: gram from the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lerd Pass-field, which he said he had been a specially authorized to communicate to that meeting: The telegram was "The Government of His Britannic Majesty have been associated with the fe more than 30 now in accordance with their of friendship and goodwill tex the Republican Government of they abd beh Carer ent thority of China and, ea fetritery to the Sovereign,
ihe People of We Wohsiwel and express the hope That in the nen future they may ae am integral bert of n united Ching attain a Stil szpater measure of coiture, wealth and The Commissioner concluded by taking a regretful farewell of the headmen.
An elderly village headman res plied. He said that the British had been in Weihaiwei for 32 years, during which time the villagers had enjoyed the benefits of British administration and now that the Teritary was being handed back to Ghina he hoped they would enjoy similar protection. The present Commissioner, he stated, had done immense good and the villagers would never forget it, He then presented Sir R. F. Johnston with a Sik scroll with four Chinese characters meaning "your good deeds still remain with us."
The Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce spoke in a similar vein, On behalf of the merchants he thanked the Commissioner for helping to protect native rights in the rendition negotiations. He then presented the Commissioner with a silk scroll and a. parcel bowl of pure water symbolic of the purity of British Administration, Another Chinese thanked thio Commissioner for what he had done in benefitting Chinese education in the Territory, particularly regarding the Middle School, He also presented a scroll to the Commissioner.
About 15 members of the staff of the new Chinese Commissioner arved at Weihaiwei to-day—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.