CO129-521-13 Chinese Customs- proposed agreement with Hong Kong 27-8-1930 - 16-10-1930 — Page 235

234

25.

(p.183 in 41C)

Customs Preventive measures: Mr.Maze g

memo

(p.1 in 5 Y)

(p.2 in 5 Y)

July Conferences at Hongkong with I.G.

Bureau. Mr. Brown thought that the inevitable

result of all this would be to divert the

merchanting business from foreign into Chinese hands, and drive the foreign merchant more and more into partnership with Chinese (which would not necessarily be a bad thing for the British

manufacturer).

23. Mr. Maze sent us a memo. stating that the new tariff had given a big impetus to smuggling.

and the Customs must therefore develop their

preventive service, including armed guards on the land frontiers (e.g. Kowloon) and the better arming of the preventive launch service. himself was going to Hongkong to investigate

these possibilities.

He

24.

A conference was accordingly held in Hong- kong in July 1929, attended by the Governor, the I.G. of Customs, and the Consul-General at

Hongkong, with their various experts.

Mr.

Maze presented his credentials from the Chinese Government, together with his proposals regard- ing the preventive service, and a suggested plan of co-operation on the basis of the dis-

The 18 articles of carded Harris agreement. that draft were subjected to examination and adopted with some amendments designed to meet actual conditions. The actual terms of this draft agreement will be discussed later in this memo. The conference gave hope of the speedy conclusion of some agreement satisfactory to all concerned. The Minister of Finance in- formed H.M. Minister's personal representativë that the new agreement appeared satisfactory,

/though