CO129-517-1 Administration and function of Chinese Maritime customs- prevention of smuggling across Chinese frontiers 7-2-1929 - 15-11-1929 — Page 52

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196121/10.

1.4612

FD | 31850/21.

Enclosure No.4.

is a translation of a memorandum submitted by Mr. Maze to the Ministry of Finance at Nanking, and since approved, dealing with the question of the prevention of smuggling across all Chinese frontiers, including the Kowloon and Lappa districts.

3. Mr. Kaze then proceeded to remind me of the draft "Anglo-Chinese Customs Agreement of Hong Kong", drawn up in the first instance in 1910 by Ir. A.H. Harris, when Commissioner of Chinese Customs for

Kowloon and district, in consultation with the Hong Kong Government. I refer you in this connection to the correspondence initiated by Sir F.D. Lugard's confidential despatch of the 28th April, 1910, and ended by r. W.S. Churchill's confidential despatch of the 21st July, 1921. Mr. Maze handed me a print of this draft in its final form, dated the 24th April 1918, and, for convenience of reference, I attach a copy of it. Mr. Haze asked me whether I would be willing to open negotiations with him, in order to ascertain how far this draft of 1918 could form the basis of an agreement now to be made between Hong Kong and China, both for facilitating the trade of this Colony and for safeguarding China's customs

revenue.

4. I have always thought that it would be an advantage to this Colony to conclude an Anglo-Chinese customs agreement, embodying many of the provisions of the draft of 1918, although not in the precise form, which that draft eventually took, and in this

connection I refer you to paragraph 15 of my despatch,

secret (2),