Appendix E.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF IMPORTS & EXPORTS FOR THE YEAR 1931.
I. LIQUOR.
1. The net revenue collected was $2,416,838.94 as compared with $1,699,948.52 for 1930. The increase to a great extent was due to duty on imported liquor being collected on a sterling basis, the dollar being taken as equivalent to one shilling and eight pence, and the actual amount of duty payable in local currency varying with a factor which was altered from time to time as the sterling market rate of the dollar fell or rose. The rebate of ten cents per gallon on Chinese spirit locally distilled was withdrawn. The number of gallons of Chinese spirit paying duty increased by 124,000. Part of the increase on European type of liquor was due to the prevention of a long continued fraud referred to below.
2. Frauds. Bogus Exports. A serious fraud was discovered in January, 1931, which consisted in drawing out of bond, without payment of duty, wines and spirits which were ostensibly to be exported, but which actually never left the Colony. Suspicion has attached to certain transactions of this kind for a long time but all efforts to detect the offenders failed until this year. It is believed that these frauds have been going on for many years and may have cost the revenue nearly $200,000 a year. Steps have been taken to prevent similar frauds in future.
3. Faking samples in the laboratory. The laboratory attendant was caught by the Monopoly Analyst faking samples, in such a way that the result of the examination after distillation by the Analyst was a few per cent. in favour of the importer. The Revenue lost in two ways. Unjustified refunds of duty were made in the cases where the results were found below the standard strength, on which the preliminary collection of duty is made; and any spirit which was really stronger than the standard paid less than the correct amount. It is difficult to assess the annual loss; it was probably about $20,000, all in respect of Chinese spirit imported from the North of China. A comparison of the results obtained immediately after the discovery in respect of spirit which was already in warehouse or on the way to the Colony, with the previous results, showed that the fraud had caused a difference of about 5 to 7 per cent. in
Appendix E.
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF IMPORTS & EXPORTS FOR THE YEAR 1931.
I. LIQUOR.
1. The net revenue collected was $2,416,838.94 as com- pared with $1,699,948.52 for 1930 The increase to a great extent was due to duty on imported liquor being collected on a sterling basis, the dollar being taken as equivalent to one shilling and eight pence, and the actual amount of duty payable in local currency varying with a factor which was altered from time to time as the sterling market rate of the dollar fell or rose. The rebate of ten cents per gallon on Chinese spirit locally distilled was withdrawn. The number of gallons of Chinese spirit paying duty increased by 124,000. Part of the increase on European type of liquor was due to the prevention of a long continued fraud referred to below.
2. Frauds. Bogus Exports. A serious fraud was dis- covered in January, 1931, which consisted in drawing out of bond, without payment of duty, wines and spirits which were ostensibly to be exported, but which actually never left the Colony. Suspicion has attached to certain transactions of this kind for a long time but all efforts to detect the offenders failed until this year. It is believed that these frauds have been going on for many years and may have cost the revenue nearly $200,000 a year. Steps have been taken to prevent similar
frauds in future.
3. Faking samples in the laboratory. The laboratory attendant was caught by the Monopoly Analyst faking samples, in such a way that the result of the examination after distillation by the Analyst was a few per cent. in favour of the importer. The Revenue lost in two ways. Unjustified refunds of duty
were made in the cases where the results were found below the standard strength, on which the preliminary collection of duty is made; and any spirit which was really stronger than the standard paid less than the correct amount. It is difficult to assess the annual loss, it was probably about $20,000, ali in respect of Chinese spirit imported from the North of China. A comparison of the results obtained immediately after the discovery in respect of spirit which was already in warehouse or on the way to the Colony, with the previous results, showed that the fraud had caused a difference of about 5 to 7 per cent. in
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