504
of the Permanent Commission as referred to in the penultimate paragraph of my letter above quoted, viz: that the refined Sugar is produced in a factory which does not work Sugars coming from any country to which a special duty or prohibition is applied.
The Board take this opportunity of remarking that the form of Certificate lately employed in the United Kingdom (of which the Hong Kong form is a reproduction) had to be withdrawn from use in consequence of objections being raised to it in Germany on the ground that it only certified to a declaration having been made as to the facts of the case and did not directly certify to the facts themselves. This is now done in the new form, a copy of which is appended to the accompanying Customs General Order 78 and the Board are of opinion
1903
that the Hong Kong form should be recast to correspond therewith,—with the slight amendment as shown in red to meet the special circumstances of the Colony.
I am to add, with reference to paragraph 5 of Mr. Lucas' letter, that the position of the Dutch Colonies in regard to the Convention, as indicated in the final Protocol, appears to be the same as that of British Crown Colonies, and that that position is not inconsistent with the prohibition of, or the levy of countervailing duties on the importation of bounty-fed Sugar into those Colonies.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Under Secretary of State,
&c. &c. &c.. Colonial Office.