893.102 Kulangsu/294: Telegram
The Consul at Amoy (MacVitty) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:35 p.m.]
At the annual Kulangsu Rate Payers meeting yesterday afternoon a revised budget was passed authorizing increases in the basic pay of the Chinese and Indian police and authorizing the Municipal Council to employ additional Formosan police “when the body considers its financial condition allows.” The proposal for the acceptances of the revised budget and the authorizations was made by the Japanese Vice Consul, Mr. Okomoto, after heated speeches had been made by a Japanese and a British rate payer as to the Council’s present ability to pay the high cost of engaging more Formosans for its police force. The applause which followed the British rate payer’s speech clearly [Page 839] indicated that the [third] power rate payers were strongly opposed to the pressure being placed on the Council by the Japanese.
Sent to Peiping. Repeated to Chungking. Peiping please transmit to Tokyo.