CO129-542-12 Smuggling from Hong Kong into China 21-1-1933 - 21-8-1933 — Page 23

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бори

Nex CONFIDENTIAL.

Sir,

Insel (43

13775

4223

CEIVED

26 SEP 1933

O. REGY

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONG KONG,

21st August,1933.

With reference to your despatch Confidential

3 of the 29th March, 1933, on the subject of smuggling from

Hong Kong, I have the honour to inform you that, since

5th December, 1932, the date of the Order in Council

prohibiting the import or export of unmanifested cargo,

the Police and Revenue Departments have undertaken thirty-

two prosecutions for breaches of the Order, on behalf of

shipowners. In addition, on twenty-three occasions,

goods were seized, but no arrest could be made.

2.

These prosecutions were undertaken at the

request of the officers of the ships concerned, or on

a few occasions, when unmanifested cargo was discovered

by the Police engaged in searching a ship for arms, in

the course of anti-piracy work. In other respects, the

position remains as it was when my Confidential despatch

2. of the 23rd December, 1932, was written, and this

Government has received no intimation from the shipping

companies concerned that they are dissatisfied with the

action taken in the matter. On the contrary Messrs.

Jardine Matheson & Company who manage one of the two

coastal services most affected by the action of the

Chinese Customs (the China Navigation Company

-

Messrs.

John Swire & Sons, being the other) have not been slow

in bringing the activities of their staff, as represented

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

by

SIR P. CUNLIFFE- LISTER, G.B.E., M.C., M.P.

etc.

etc.

etc.