CO129-542-12 Smuggling from Hong Kong into China 21-1-1933 - 21-8-1933 — Page 123

123

cargo on board steamers arriving

from Hong Kong.

It would appear

that the trouble is largely due to the

practice to which the Governor refers

(to

paton) of

in paragraph 4 of his despatch

permitting members of the crew to

carry with them in their quarters

or elsewhere goods which do not pay

freight.

F'

This privilege is no doubt

allowed by the shipping companies very

largely in their own interests, but

amongst the goods so carried

there is obviously a strong presumption

that many will be dutiable and will be

embarked with the intention of smuggling.

As the discovery of such dutiable goods at a

Chinese port renders the owners liable

to punishment, it is obviously in the

interest of the shipping companies to

prevent dutiable articles being shipped

without their knowledge. It does not

appear