Oral Answers to Questions — China. – in the House of Commons am ar 8 Gorffennaf 1925.
Mr Shapurji Saklatvala
, Battersea North
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that a so-called Bolshevist agent. Dosser, has been detained by the British authorities in Shanghai; that he is being tried in the Mixed Court and not in the Chinese Court; that by the Sino-Russian Agreement of 1924 Russia gave up all extraterritorial rights, and Russians would therefore be tried in Chinese Courts; that the consular body has given instructions that jurisdiction in Russian cases should be taken in the Mixed Court; on whose authority were these instructions given; was the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics consulted; and, if not, under what powers are the consular authorities enabled to take judicial proceedings against the nationals of other countries which have renounced territorial rights?
Mr. CHAMBERLAIN:
Dosser was not detained by the British authorities at Shanghai, but by the municipal police of the International Settlement at Shanghai. He is being tried before the Mixed Court, which is the only Court which has jurisdiction to try offences committed within the International Settlement by Chinese and nationals of Powers who do not enjoy extra-territorial rights. In these circumstances, the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and. last parts of the question do not arise.
Mr Shapurji Saklatvala
, Battersea North
In view of what the right hon. Gentleman has said in answer to a previous question, does he not consider it out of the power of the Treaty Powers to try a national who is not within the jurisdiction of the Treaty Powers?
Mr George Lansbury
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that one of these persons has been acquitted, that the other has been acquitted on three counts, and that there is only one count still to be tried?
Mr George Lansbury
, Poplar Bow and Bromley
I think the right hon. Gentleman must know that there were two.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
