Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1
188
Mrs J Turmer
9 St Helens Avenue
Benson
Oxon
Telephone 01-
Your reference
Our reference
HKK 7/1
Date
19 September 1974
175
131
Dew Dro Turner,
In my letter of 26 July about the importation of Chinese wildlife into Hong Kong I promised that I would write to you again about a report that Chinese Giant Salamanders were being publicly advertised for sale in Hong Kong.
I have now heard from Mr Nichols, the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries in Hong Kong. He informs me that the price lists issued by the China Wildlife Company, which you mentioned in your letter of 12 July, have been the subject of an investigation by his department. They found that two Giant Salamanders were being held by the company, both of which had been obtained prior to the introduction (on 1 January 1974) of legislation prohibiting the importation and possession of these species. The Director has pointed out that, as no permit was required to import animals before that date, no action can be taken to prosecute the company. However, the company has been advised by the department that they were are to inform them when they dispose of these two animals and that
no further permits, to import the Giant Salamander be issued to them. They have also been instructed to cease forthwith advertising the availability of this species.
Mr Nichols mentions in his letter that since the intro- duction of the legislation mentioned above, his department has successfully seized several specimens of salamander and effected prosecutions.
I said in my earlier letter that the Hong Kong Government were tackling this problem. I hope you will agree that Mr Nichols's information to me shows that they are tackling it firmly.
Yours sincerely
Ac St
A C Stuart
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Dept.