CO129-131 - Sir MacDonnell - 1868 [6-7] — Page 333

TIP

326

number of several thousand chests, yet, from the time when opium. tax offices

first

established, the amount of tare

Collected sheis

one

a

deficiency of more than

half. It is manifest therefore, that

abuses must be prevalent in this matter.

It has been reported of late that bawles

persono

om

the coast, in

consequence of

the Imaggling enterprises which

perpetually

carried

ssumed the qui

от

are

have haudulently

quise of military officials

in anned

and put to bear unauthorizedly Cruisers, with ostentations display of flags and other insignia, under the pretext of employment for the apprehension of Smugglers, but, when an oppertunity

foffers, plunder repels of all they contain

and thereupon matte off (with their

booty). In so

as the traders are

far as t

concerned, since they suffer harm in

consequence

of

their own

there is but little

greed of gain,

but little reason for sympathy

in such cases;

but there

are some who, without desiring to evade the payment

of duty,

are

unable to report their

Merchandize for payment of the taxe

owing to thin not having reached the Stations where it is levied and are

befallen with the like calamity,

loppes

that

and the

such incur to indeed call

for commiseration. On an investigation

of the

calcolo

produsing this state of

affairs, it proves

to be

owing to the fact that tax stations have not hitherto