CO129-314 - Public Offices - 1902 — Page 150

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September 11th,

1886.

of the interference of the Canton Customs Revenue Cruisers with the junk trade of that Colony" a Com- mission should be appointed, to consist of a British Consul, a Hong Kong officer and a Chinese official "in order to the establishment of some system that

shall enable the Chinese Government to protect its

revenue, without prejudice to the interests of the

Colony." The Convention was never ratified; but a Commission was appointed in accordance with the above clause. Sir R.Hart, Mr (afterwards Sir) J.Russell,

Among

ļ

1-

Er Branan and Shao Taotai were the members.

other arrangements in regard to opium the Commis- sioners decided that an office under the Imperial Maritime Customs should be established on Chinese

Territory near Kowloon for the sale of Chinese opium duty certificates; that junks trading between Chinese

ports and Hong Kong and their cargoes should not be subject to any dues or duties in excess of those levi-

able on junks and their cargoes trading between

Chinese ports and Macao, and that no dues whatsoever

should be demanded from junks coming to Hong Kong from

ports in China, or proceeding from Hong Kong to ports

in China, over and above the dues paid or payable at

the ports of clearance or destination. The Customs

officer at the new Kowloon office was to investigate

and settle any complaints made by the junks trading with Hong Kong against the Native Customs Revenue

Stations or Cruisers in the neighbourhood, and that

the Governor of Hong Kong, if he thought it advisable

should be entitled to send a Hong Kong officer to

assist the investigation. In the event of their dis- agreeing the dispute was to be referred to the

authorities

W

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