2
-
137
92702/32
3.
Revenue collected by the Chinese Maritime
Customs is not retained by the provincial authorities but is either absorbed by the payment of the services of foreign loans or passes into the hands of the Central Government. Thus not only are the local officials not interested in its collection but they are often prepared to countenance or even to aid and abet smuggling in return for a proportion of the payment demanded by the Customs.
4. A further complication is due to the practice which is of very long standing of permitting members of the crew to carry with them in their quarters or elsewhere goods which do not pay freight, and are known as 'pidgin' cargo. It seems likely that this privilege where it exists contributes to the economical running of vessels employing Chinese crews the profits derived from such trade serving to augment
wages.
Moreover it is feared by the shipping companies that any attempt to withdraw it will be a signal for trouble and the instigation by the seamen's organisations of a boycott against the vessel or company. the ship's officers nor their owners are anxious to invite friction by interference and the Chinese compradores or headmen through whom the crews are normally engaged are still more reluctant to take any action which will directly affect the profits of their business. It is presumably these considerations which inspire Messrs. John Swire and Sons Limited to say in their letter of 29th September last "In the great majority of cases they are wholly unable of
themselves
Neither