CO129-521-12 Chinese Customs- proposed agreement with Hong Kong 2-4-1930 - 16-6-1930 — Page 213

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PROPOSED CHINESE

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215

HONG KONG CUSTOMS AGREEMENT.

On the 17 July, 1929, the Inspector General

called

of the Chinese Caritime Customs, Mr. F.W.Maze,

on the Governor of Hong Kong bearing an Order from

the Chinese Minister of Financeinstructing him to go

in person to Hong Kong and consult with the Governor there

with a view to obtaining his co-operation in measures

for the prevention of smuggling.

Sir C. Clementi agreed to Mr. Maze's suggestion

that the draft "Anglo-Chinese Custams Agreement of Hong Kong" (known as the "Harris Agreement" after the

Commissioner of Customs who sponsored it) which had

been agreed on at Hong Kong in1918 but had failed to

obtain ratification, might form the basis of a new

He requested, however, an assurance on

two preliminary points, (1) that the Commissioner

of Chinese Maritime Customs in Hong Kong would continue to

be British and hould be a person acceptable to the

agreement.

Hong Kong Government;

and

(2) that the rights of

inland and

navigation between Hong Kong and Chinese

coastal waters now enjoyed by British shipping should

be maintained. After discussion it was agreed that

these stipulations might be left over to be dealt

with by the Inspector-General on his return to Shanghai

and formal negotiations at Hong Kong were at once

initiated.

On the 19th July, at a Conference of

representatives of the Colonial Government and the

Chinese Maritime Customs, attended also by His

Majesty's Consul-General at Canton, the 1918 draft

Agreement