NEW AGREEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1927, Page 9

NEW AGREEMENT.

BRITAIN GIVES OVER, Hankow Municipality Under Chinese. I LOSSES TO BE COMPENSATED. (By Cable.—Copyright—Press Association.) (Received 10.30 a.m.) SHANGHAI, February 21. The Hankow agreement provides for the dissolution of the British municipality, whereupon the administration of the concession area is to be formally handed over to a new Chinese municipality. Meanwhile the policing of the concession and the management of public works and sanitation are conducted by Chinese authorities. The Xationalist Government will set up a special Chinese municipality, the administrative regulations of which will be communicated to His Majesty's Minister by the Xationalist Minister of Foreign Affairs, the regulations remaining in force until the conclusion of negotiations for the amalgamation of the fire Hankow concessions into one unified municipal district. The agreement relative to the British concession at Kiu-kiang is oh similar lines to the Hankow settlement. If any direct losses, due to the action or culpable negligence of agents of the ..' Nationalist Government, were suffered by British subjects during the recent disturbances at Kiu-kiang, such losses will be compensated by the Xationalist Government. Referring to the Hankow agreement a Nationalist Government communique says, inter alia, that the policy of the Nationalist Government is not to use force or countenance the use of force to effect a change of status of any or all of the concessions and international settlements. "The Xationalist Government has laid , down changes of status of the concessions and international settlements wherr-er situate in China which are of such vital importance that no local Nationalist Government can negotiate with the foreign Powers concerned in respect to them."