Copy.
Sir.
Hong Kong,
8th February, 1933.
95
SMUGGLING.
We have the honour to refer to the Order in Council dated 5th December, 1932, pursuant to Section 4A of the Importation and Exportation Ordinance 1915, as amended by Importation and Exportation Amendment Ordinance. 1932.
We also beg to draw your attention to the prosecutions conducted under this said Order in Council on 13th and 23rd January this year, when smugglers,, apprehended as the result of co-operation between our Staff and the Police, were charged by the Superintendent of the Imports and Exports Department, convicted, and fined the sums of $25 and $100 respectively.
It is significant that in each instance the fines were readily forthcoming, and as there is good reason to believe that their agents' fines are paid by the big smuggling inter- ests in Hong Kong which are behind this illicit traffic, we have the honour to submit for the Government's consideration that, in order to provide an effective deterrent to such agents acting on behalf of unknown principals, the penalties applicable to this offence should be extended to cover im- prisonment without the option of a fine, or better still, both.
We have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servants,
(Sgd.) BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE,
The Honourable,
Agents, China Navigation Co. Ltd.
The Colonial Secretary,
Hong Kong.