CO129-521-12 Chinese Customs- proposed agreement with Hong Kong 2-4-1930 - 16-6-1930 — Page 271

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The Inspector Jeneral received instructions from

the Ministry of Finance to proceed to Hongkongi investigate

smuggling conditions in the neighbourhood; endeavour to

effect an arrangement with the Government of Hongkong in

order to enable China to better protect her Revame and

Revenue

cheak maagglingi and report.

The Inspector General now reports as follows:-

He left for Hongkong on the 13th July and returned

to Shanghai on the 2nd ugust. Un arrival in Hongkong he

at once called on the Governor and carefully outlined the

Customs position to him and invited his assistance and co-

operation to enable China te protect her Kevenue and step, or

at least check, mugling.

The Governor was reasonable and

sympathetic, and asked the Irector General what he proposed?

The Inspector General replied that when the Kowloon territory

was extended in 1899 to its present large dimmsions 3ir

Robert Hart, on behalf of China, immediately informed the

British Goverment that the extension of the Kowloon and see

Frontiers added enormously to China's difficulties in the

matter of protecting her Kavenue, and, this being so, he

recomended that the Rongkong Government should permit the

Chinese Maritime Customs to retain their three sea-Dtations

clone to the Island of Hongkong: that

that the Customs should be

empowered to control junks lending in Hongkong Harbour for

Chinas that the Customs should be empowered to examine dargt

destined for China carried by such junks, and cellest Duty

that non-manifested darge should be

thereen in Hongkongi that

i;

seized and confiscated; and that the Customs should be alles

to function in Kowloon as well as in Hongkong. These pre-

posals were not acceptable to the Hongkong Governmenty ba-

be

Cause