CO129-501-8 General policy in China 30-11-1926 - 30-11-1926 — Page 42

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last in June, 1886, a joint commission was appointed

consisting of Mr. Byron Brenan, British Consul at Tientsin, and Mr. James Russell, Puisne Judge of Hong Kong, for

Great Britain; and Sir R. Hart and the Taotai Shao Yu-lien,

for China. On the 11th September, 1886, this Commission

signed an agreement which provided

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(a) that an officer under the Foreign Inspectorate of

Chinese Maritime Custans should be established on Chinese

Territory at a convenient spot on the Kowloon side for sale

of Chinese opium duty certificates: and

(b) that the officer of the Foreign Inspectorate should

be responsible for the management of the Kowloon Office and

investigate and settle any complaints made by junks trading

with Hong Kong against the native Custans revenue cruisers

in the neighbourhood.

6.

The Kowloon Customs House was opened in April,

1887; and, in obedience to orders, the Hoppo and the Likin

Board withdrew and handed over change to the Kowloon

Commissioner of Chinese Maritime Customs, who commenced the

levy of likin and ching-fei upon general cargo on the 2nd April, 1887, the collection of tariff import duty and of

Convention likin on opium on the 14th of the same month, and finally the collection of native duty on general cargo on the

1st July following, by which time the stations under the new

management were in full operation. The work proper of the

Custom House, i.e. the examination of cargo and collection

of duties, was done at the previously existing stations in Chinese territory, but the general recording office was

located