KOWLOON FRONTIER DISTRICT OF THE CHINESE MARITIME
CUSTOMS
This is the inclusive name given to the Chinese Maritime Customs stations. adjacent to Hongkong and established in 1887 in accordance with the Chefoo Agreement of 1876 and its Additional Article of 1885 for the purpose of recording the movement of opium and of collecting duty on the trade carried on by Chinese junks between Hongkong and Chinese ports. In 1899, when the New Territory was taken over by Hongkong, the Customs stations were removed from their former locations, which had been brought within the British boundary, and the present stations are situated at Taishan, Lintin, Shumchün, Shatowkok, Shaüchung, and Samun (Tooniang), besides which there are a number of frontier patrol posts on the north shores of Deep and Mirs Bays and between the two bays.
TRADE IN 1936
The total value of trade in the Kowloon district for the year 1936 amouuted to $63.7 million, and it is disappointing to record that this figure shows a decrease of nearly $12.3 million when compared with the returns for 1935. The main features contributing to this falling-off in trade were, firstly, general trade depression and lack of purchasing power in the interior of China, and secondly, high local taxation and unsettled political conditions. The most important event in the year from a trade and political point of view was the abolition of the South-west Political Council' in July, when the Central Government obtained control of the Liang Kwang provinces. With the abolition of many illegal provincial taxes and more stable exchange rates, it was anticipated that trade would show signs of recovery. This, however, did not materialise until the last months of the year, when the trade figures, for the first time in 1936, showed an excess over the figures for corresponding month of the preceding year. The following are the figures for the value of the direct foreign. trade during the year under review, with comparative statistics for the preceding year: imports, $57.5 million as against $70.4 million in 1935; exports, $6.2 million as against $5.6 million. During the first half of the year large importations of rice were made' from abroad. However, after July, when the Central Covernment enforced the payment of full tariff rates on rice and paddy, which had been previously free of import duty, shipments of the cereal fell off to a great extent.
The second crop
was not up to the first, and, in spite of this, merchants were not willing to import foreign rice, claiming that after payment of import duty the price would be prohibitive. During the year 1.3 million quintals of rice was imported as against 2.6 million quintals in 1935. 12.7 million litres of kerosene oil was imported during the year and showed an increase of 12.5 million litres over the previous year's figure. This huge increase can readily be accounted for when the figures for liquid fuel are considered, this commodity falling from 131,500 metric tons in 1935 to 98,600 inetric tons. Prior to July large quantities of liquid fuel of a high kerosene content were imported for refining purposes and paid Customs duty at the minimum rate of G.U. 2.90 per ton. After July full tariff rates according to the kerosene content were enforced, with the result that refining companies in the interior could no longer produce kerosene from liquid fuel at a price to compete with the foreign imported kerosene, and, in consequence, liquid fuel importations were greatly reduced, with a corresponding increase in shipments of kerosene oil. With the continued use of roads in the interior and the growth of aviation, large quantitites of gasolene were imported. The year's figure of 20.7 million litres exhibits an increase of
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