CO129-521-13 Chinese Customs- proposed agreement with Hong Kong 27-8-1930 - 16-10-1930 — Page 359

SIR,

S/O CIRCULAR No. 67.

SHANGHAI OFFICE OF THE

INSPECTORATE GENERAL Of Customs,

SHANGHAI, 5th May 1930.

356

S/O CIR. 67.

IN continuation of my S/O Circular No. 61:

Intimating that official representations have been made to the Government on the subject of preventive work, and that my recommendations on the subject have been sanctioned in principle:

I now append hereto a copy of an interesting report of a tour of inspection or investigation along the coast from Swatow to Foochow in the revenue steamer Pingching conducted by Mr. F. H. BELL, Commissioner, detached. Some time back Mr. BELL drew my attention to the serious increase of smuggling between the island of Formosa and the mainland, carried on chiefly by means of Japanese motor vessels plying to non-opened ports along the south-east littoral; and at the same time he suggested that in order to enable us to cope effectively with this new menace to the revenue the Maritime Customs ought to be associated with the Native Customs establishments at such non-opened ports. I discussed the matter at some length with His Excellency the Minister of Finance and the Director General of the Kuan-wu Shu; pointed out the seriousness of this form of smuggling; and proposed that Mr. BELL be authorised to investigate conditions along the south-east coast-line, etc. And I advised that the Canton and Foochow provincial governments should be approached in this connexion, and requested to detail representatives to accompany Mr. BELL on his journey, in order to obviate misunder- standing and create an atmosphere of confidence and goodwill at the various places visited. The Minister approved of the scheme, and communicated with the provincial authorities concerned in the sense indicated. The latter, in turn, appointed representatives, and Mr. BELL'S narrative describes how he and they fared on their trip and explains the conditions now existing along the south-east coast.

I have since reported that Mr. BELL's tour was successful, and that the Pingching's unexpected appearance in the new role of a preventive-not merely a lights---vessel at various points along the coast and the seizure and confiscation of motor vessels actively engaged in

Smuggling: southern tour of inspection conducted by Mr. F. H. BELL, Commissioner, detached: report in re, appended for record; I.G.'s

views in re.

To

THE COMMISSIONERS OF CUSTOMS.

1. innd

Statistical Secretary.