No.
Hongkong
107
7
C. Q.
10500348
Government House,
Hongkong, 11th March, 1904.
No. 87
COLONIAL
I have the honour to inform you that a complaint has been received from Messrs. Butterfield and Swire and Jardine, Matheson and Company, the two Firms concerned in the Sugar Industry in this Colony, regarding the alleged issue by the Indo-Chinese Customs Authorities of a strict prohibition of the import of sugar from Hongkong. They have been informed by their Haiphong correspondents that this action has been taken on the ground that Hongkong is a self-governed Colony and is not considered to have adhered to the Brussels Convention.
I have referred the matter to the Authorities of Indo-China through the French Consul for this port, who has been informed that Articles V and VIII of the Convention apply to the Crown Colonies of the British Empire even though such Colonies have not adhered to the Convention as a whole; and that in any case this Colony intends to adhere to the Convention as soon as the necessary legislative action has been taken. The Consul has communicated on the subject with the Government of French Indo-China, but has not yet received...
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ALFRED LYTTELTON, K.C., M.P.,
&c...