THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 26TH MAY, 1883.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 190.
431
The following Agreement between the Governments of Great Britain and Siam for regulating the Traffic in Spirituous Liquors, is published for general information.
By Command,
W. H. MARSH,
Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 26th May, 1883.
Agreement between the Governments of Great Britain and Siam
for regulating the Traffic in Spirituous Liquors.
Signed at London, April 6, 1883.
THE Government of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Government of His Majesty the King of Siam, being desirous of making satisfactory arrange- ments for the regulation of the traffic in spirituous liquors in Siam, the undersigned, duly authorized to that effect, have agreed as follows:-
ARTICLE I.
Spirits of all kinds not exceeding in alcoholic strength those permitted to be manufactured by the Siamese Government in Siam may be imported and sold by British subjects on payment of the same duty as that levied by the Siamese excise laws upon spirits manufactured in Siam; and spirits exceed- ing in alcoholic strength spirits manufactured in Siam as aforesaid may be imported and sold upon payment of such duty and of a proportionate additional duty for the excess of alcoholic strength above the Siamese Government standard.
Beer and wines may be imported and sold by British subjects on payment of the same duty as 'that levied by the Siamese excise laws upon similar articles manufactured in Siam, but the duty on imported beer and wines shall in no case exceed 10 per cent. ad valorem.
The said duty on imported spirits, beer, and wines shall be in substitution of, and not in addition to, the import duty of 3 per cent. leviable under the existing Treaties; and no further duty, tax, or imposition whatever shall be imposed on imported spirits, beer, and wines.
The scale of excise duty to be levied upon spirits, beer, and wines manufactured in Siam shall be communicated by the Siamese Government to Her Majesty's Agent and Consul-General at Bangkok, and no change in the excise duties shall affect British subjects until after the expiration of six months from the date at which such notice shall have been communicated by the Siamese Government to Her Majesty's Representative at Bangkok.
ARTICLE II.
The testing of spirits imported into the kingdom of Siam by British subjects shall be carried out by European officials nominated by the Siamese authorities, and by an equal number of experts nominated by Her Majesty's Consul. In case of difference the parties shall nominate a third person, who shall act as umpire.
ARTICLE III.
The Siamese Government may stop the importation by British subjects into Siam of any spirits which, on examination, shall be proved to be deleterious to the public health; and they may give notice to the importers, consignees, or holders thereof to export the same within three months from the date of such notice, and if this is not done the Siamese Government may seize the said spirits and may destroy them, provided always that in all such cases the Siamese Government shall be bound to refund any duty which may have been already paid thereon.
The testing of spirits imported by British subjects, and which may be alleged to be deleterious, shall be carried out in the manner provided by Article II.
The Siamese Government engage to take all necessary measures to prohibit and prevent the sale of spirits manufactured in Siam which may be deleterious to the public health.
ARTICLE IV.
Any British subject who desires to retail spirituous liquors, beer, or wines in Siam must take out a special licence for that purpose from the Siamese Government, which shall not be refused without just and reasonable cause.
This licence may
be granted upon conditions to be agreed upon from time to time between the
two Governments.