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and a Copy of the report made by this officer has been sent for the Consul's information. On the fact being brought to the Viceroy's notice that the persons employed by the contractor in question to act as Cruisers have improperly wrung payments from fishermen within the territory of Hong Kong, [he feels that] this is a serious deviation from the conduct it was incumbent upon them to observe, and an infraction of rules meriting the strongest disapprobation. The Viceroy feels profound regret for the occurrence; and he has now again directed the Salt Revenue Comptroller to lay injunctions on the Contractor at the Sin Ngan Station, to the effect that henceforth all salt disposed of to the masters of fishing boats must be sold for ready money, payment being made in full at the time of purchase; and that the persons employed as Cruisers be on no account permitted again to enter the territory of Hong Kong for the purpose of levying payments from fishermen.
The Comptroller of the Salt Revenue having now been called to account in the most stringent manner possible, it may be considered