3527/1/10
Sir A. Clark Kerr,
Shanghai.
Telegram.
No:
FOREIGN OFFICE, S.V.1.
Despatched
August, 1940.
M.
44
Your telegram No. 648 (of July 30th:
Kowloon Customs).
The British authorities are not
responsible for the internal administration of the Kowloon office of the Chinese Customs, whose functions are, I understand, to
supervise Customs work in adjacent Chinese territory.
In so far as the latter is
under Japanese occupation, the demand that the Customs Administration shall conform to the procedure in other occupied areas is
comprehensible.
2.
It is a matter for arrangement
between the Japanese authorities and the
Inspector-General and we cannot usefully
intervene at the present time. We showed however have string objectintitive appt of a gap. Commmmmer NH.K.
3. A solution recommended by the
Colonial Office is that the Kowloon Customs
Station should be closed at least for the
duration of the hostilities.
I am informed
that/