No. 195.
за
Econ
18515 13
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONG KONG.
Sir,
52 MAY 1940
0.0. REGY
22nd April, 1940.
I have the honour to transmit herewith for your
Enclosure No.1. consideration and advice a copy of a letter which has
Enclosure No.2.
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Ansa by.
30
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been received from the Commissioner of Chinese Maritime
Customs, regarding the smuggling of kerosene oil and
other commodities into the Mirs Bay districts.
2.
Exact statistics are not available but this
Government is well aware of the existence on a considerable
scale of the traffic of which Mr. Pritchard complains.
Under the existing Defence Regulations, in particular
Government Notification No.1229 of 29th December, 1939,
of which a copy is enclosed herewith, it is a punishable
offence to export or attempt to export kerosene out of
the Colony without a licence from the Controller of Trade.
3.
Quite apart, however, from the difficulties
which would attend the control of this traffic in the
waters of Mirs Bay, there are certain questions of policy
involved. It will no doubt be agreed that in the existing
chaotic conditions in South China the trade of this
Colony, if it is to continue at all, must of necessity be
conducted on lines which would not be regarded as permissible
in more settled times. In spite of the alleged closure of
the Pearl River and in total disregard of Customs
obligations, an appreciable traffic is, nevertheless,
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,
&C.,
&c.
&c.
• "