CO129-440 - Others & Individuals - 1916 — Page 329

C

[CONFIDENTIAL.]

Copy of letter from Messrs. BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, HONG KONG.

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25th February, 1916.

Messrs. ALFRED HOLT & Co.,

Dear Sirs,

LIVERPOOL.

OPIUM SMUGGLING.

With further reference to our letter of 16th February, we cabled you 23rd February as follows:

FC

"

Your letter sixteenth December conclude reservedly ringleader Hong Kong Shanghai Loupoukee proprietor boardinghouse here in conjunction Ming Liverpool Kwok "indefinitely involved Ming central supplier all markets not necessarily in com- "bination with Lou Kwok unless confirmed acquired whole business from Lou surmise

supplies others East Shanghai suggest disclose correspondence confidentially com "missioner requesting acceptance responsibility establishing identities we agree suggest submit correspondence Government here enlist assistance defining organisa- "tion recommendations future action meantime our opinion most effective measures 'you obtain deportation Ming and staff expedite proposed home legislation as elimina- tion one procuring ring merely diverts traffic furthered by strong purchasing organisations existing East safely independently carriers ringleaders stop advisable "act guardedly here safeguard maintenance officient crews."

This conveys the gist of our letter of 16th February, with suggestions added for concerted measures, which thus far occur to us as likely to be in some degree ameliorative.

The Government here may be able to assist us in defining the real relations between Lou Pou Kee and Jack A Tai. Meantime we have ascertained that Jack recruits his crews partly, probably principally, from Lou Pou Kee's boarding house, which trades under the name of Po Hing. A man named Ng Sin Ting is also reported to be a part proprietor in this house, this name being somewhat similar to the Lou Kin Ting alias of Lou Pou Kec. Jack is said to also get crews from Luen Hing and Seng On houses whose proprietors are respectively Chang Che Kwai and Ip Seng Kau.

It seems to us that it does not necessarily follow, although it may be so, that either Lou or Kwok are partners in the operations between Liverpool and places other than China, since the correspondence suggests special part shares in certain single operations, which leaves the way open to other conditions for ventures which the people in China cannot directly control. If, however, you can procure the deportation of Ming and his associates from England it should go a long way towards checking operations on Blue Funnels on all routes. Should Kwok's establishment in Liverpool prove to be allied in partnership with Ming, then the position becomes more complicated, because presumably it would mean the same treatment for Kwok's people as for Ming's, and would involve new establishments in England to take the place occupied by Kwok's present people, with whom, we understand, are included at present two of the family, Kwok Chan Ki and Kwok Chan Chiu (Kwok Tsan Too), that is if

you feel you must have such a connection at home to assist in relations with crews,

We think we must look to the Government here for assistance in defining the real relation- ship between Jack (Kwok), Lou, and all boarding houses, and for guidance to assist us in deliberations as to future action, particularly if we are impelled to break away from Jack entirely.

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