CO129-425 - Governor Sir May - 1915 [10-12] — Page 772

CONFIDENTIAL.

Sir,

HONGKONG.

REC

5668 763

REG 4 FEB 16

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

29th. December, 1915.

1

312

With reference to Mr. Harcourt's Confidential

Despatch of the 15th. of May, I have the honour to transit for your consideration the enclosed copy of a report written at my request by the Superintendent of Imports and Exports on the subject

of the control of salt in this Colony.

2.

I would preface my remarks on Mr. R. O. Hutchi- -son's report by inviting your attention to the accompanying copy

of a private letter dated the 28th. of April last from Sir Richard Dane covering a report from the Comissioner of Customs at Kongmoon, West River, on the subject of the smiling of salt from Hongkong into China. The figures in that report would indicate an annual quantity, sum led into the Kongmoon District alone, of no less ther 21,000 tons in round figures representing a loss in duty to the Chinese Government of over £900,000 per annum.

The figures are in excess of Mr. Hutchison's estimate of 15,000 tons of imported salt smuggled annually from Hongkong to China, and may of course include salt not imported

into this Colony.

I have also to enclose correspondence with the Chamber of Commerce in 1912 on the subject of the smuggling of salt out of Hon kong by River Steamers.

Whatever the amount of smuggled salt for

HE RIGHT HONOURABLE

ANDREW BON AR LAW, M.P.,

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which