SIR,
( 26 )
OFFICE OF THE HONGKONG, CANTON & MACAO STEAM-BOAT COMPANY, LIMITED,
HONGKONG, 10th August, 1893.
With reference to your letter No. 973 of the 10th July informing me that an appeal has been made against the Magistrate's decision whereby the 250 taels of prepared opiuin, seized from passengers baggage on board the Company's steamer Fatshan on the 5th June, had been forfeited under Section 38 of Ordinance 21 of 1891; you are doubtless aware that the appeal has been allowed upon the ground that the language of the Section does not convey the meaning which the Magistrate attached to it.
That it was the intention of the Government, in introducing Section 38, as it stands, into the new Opium Ordinance, to so amend the then existing law as to afford some relief to river steam-ship owners from the hardships entailed upon them by the abuses in connection with the Opium traffic, to which the attention of the Government had been repeatedly drawn since 1888, is abundantly evidenced by promises contained in various letters received from the Government by the China Navigation Company and this Company during the past few years.
That the Secretary of State for the Colonies (Lord KNUTSFORD) was of opinion that the intention of the Government, as above stated, had been made law by the wording of Section 38, is clearly shown by the enclosed copy of letter dated 8th April, 1892, from the Colonial Office to Mr. WEBB, a Member of Parliament, who had been good enough to ventilate our grievance in the House of Commons.
By the decision of the Supreme Court, the protection which the river steam- ship Companies seemed to have, poor as it would have been in any case, has gone altogether, and I would respectfully ask whether the Government is now prepared to so amend the existing law as to afford us the protection which it was originally intended that we should have.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
SIR,
( 27 )
OFFICE OF THE HONGKONG, CANTON & MACAO`
STEAM-BOAT COMPANY, LIMITED).
HONGKONG, 16th August, 1893.
In reply to your letter No. 1196 of yesterday's date, I beg to say that what I respectfully ask for, is that the existing Opium Ordinance should be so amended as to provide that Opium found or seized on board of any steam-ship bound or about to proceed to the ports of Canton or Macao and which does not appear on the Manifest of such vessel, shall, even when covered by the Opium Farmer's per- mit, be confiscated, and that neither the Opium nor the proceeds shall be given up to the Opium Farmer.
*
I ask for this alteration because, with such a change of the law, attempts to smuggle prepared Opium by our steamers would be much less frequent than they are under the existing law, and shipowners would be afforded some measure of protection against the heavy penalties (including confiscation of their vessels) to which they are liable at port of discharge should the Opium be discovered by the Customs' Authorities.
I enclose a printed copy of our earlier correspondence with the Government upon the subject.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
The Honourable
G. T. M. O'BRIEN, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary.
Your most obedient servant,
THOS. ARNOLD, Secretary.
The Honourable G. T. M. O'BRIEN, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary.
No. 1196.
SIR,
THOS. ARNOLD, Secretary.
No. 1,203.
SIR,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 15th August, 1893.
R. v. Lam Sui and another.
With reference to your letter of the 10th instant, I am directed to enquire whether what desire is that the existing law should be so altered as to render
you opium, on board a ship within the waters of the Colony, which is covered by the farmer's permit but not entered on the manifest, liable to confiscation.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 17th August, 1893.
am directed to acquaint you for
In reply to your letter of the 16th instant, the information of your Directors that the Governor is not prepared to attempt an amendment, in the sense desired, of the law, which has been so recently settled after much consideration.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
G. T. M. O'BRIEN,
Colonial Secretary.
THOMAS ARNOLD, Esq., Secretary,
Honglang, Cunton o Macao Steam-boat Co., L
fc.,
Sr.,
fc.
G. T. M. O'BRIEN,
Colonial Secretary.
THE SECRETARY,
Hongkong, Canton & Macao Steam-bout Co., Ld.,
fc.,
$c.,
fc.
535
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