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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1919
CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE
CELEBRATES 70TH ANNIVERSARY ***
HONG KONG'S CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE WAS ON PARADE TODAY (SATURDAY) TO MARK ITS 70TH ANNIVERSARY.
ABOUT 150 OFFICERS DRAWN FROM ITS SIX DIVISIONS WERE INSPECTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, MR. DAVID JORDAN WHO IS ALSO THE SERVICE'S COMMISSIONER.
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THE PARADE, BEFORE AN AUDIENCE OF 200 COMPRISING GUESTS FROM CONSULATES, REPRESENTATIVES FROM INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE CIRCLES, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND THE BRITISH FORCES, TOOK PLACE AT THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE TRAINING SCHOOL AT TAI LAM CHUNG, THE NEW TERRITORIES.
TO THE MUSIC PROVIDED BY THE PIPES AND DRUMS OF THE QUEEN'S GURKHA ENGINEERS, THE PARADE UNDER ITS COMMANDER, SUPERINTENDENT P.W. MAK MARCHED PAST THE COMMISSIONER.
ADDRESSING THE PARADE, MR. JORDAN SAID THAT THE RE-ORGANISATION OF THE SERVICE WAS PROCEEDING STEADILY.
+THIS IS NECESSARY TO MEET MODERN CONDITIONS AND THE GROWING RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SERVICE, WHICH HAVE INCREASED BOTH IN COMPLEXITY AND VARIETY, AND WILL PROVIDE BETTER PROMOTION PROSPECTS FOR SERVING OFFICERS WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ASSUME INCREASED RESPONSIBILITIES.
+I HAVE LONG FELT THAT THERE SHOULD BE BETTER CAREER PROSPECTS FOR ALL OFFICERS OF THE SERVICE, AND I WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT, IN MARCH THIS YEAR, A TOTAL OF 19 OFFICERS WERE PROMOTED AT THE SAME TIME WITHIN THE INSPECTORATE AND SUPERINTENDENT GRADES, SAID MR. JORDAN.
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REVIEWING THE VARIED DUTIES OF THE SERVICE, MR. JORDAN SAID ITS ORIGINAL DUTY WAS TO COLLECT AND PROTECT THE REVENUE DERIVED FROM DUTIABLE COMMODITIES. LAST YEAR THE NET AMOUNT COLLECTED WAS $830 MILLION MORE THAN TEN PER CENT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S RE-CURRENT EXPENDITURE.
CONGRATULATING THE SERVICE ON MANY SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING, MR. JORDAN SAID +DRUG ADDICTION IS ONE OF HONG KONG'S GREATEST EVILS, BUT THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF MANY ORGANISATIONS, OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE, HAVE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS TURNED THE TIDE. AS OUR PART IN THIS EFFORT, MORE THAN HALF OF THE SERVICE IS NOW COMMITTED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TO ANTI- NARCOTICS ACTIVITIES.+
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES COMPRISED THE SUPPRESSION OF COPYRIGHT OFFENCES, IMPORT AND EXPORT CONTROLS OF PROHIBITED AND RESTRICTED ARTICLES, AND OTHER AGENCY DUTIES FOR REASONS OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS.
+DESPITE THE INCREASED SCOPE OF WORK, YOU HAVE ACHIEVED CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS IN THESE FIELDS TOO, PARTICULARLY IN THE SUPPRESSION OF COPYRIGHT OFFENCES.
+ I AM