CO129-542-12 Smuggling from Hong Kong into China 21-1-1933 - 21-8-1933 — Page 30

い

Y.

Number 88

(and three copies)

Cc es to: Sub-Legation,

Tientsin.

British Consulate-General,

Shanghai.

March 20th, 1933.

Sir,

30

With reference to your despatch Number 70

(6/60/1933) of the 2nd March, 1933, on the subject of

smuggling on board British ships entering Chinese ports with

special reference to the Chinese Customs Regulations issued

in 1931, I have the honour to report that I discussed this

question on the 17th March with Messrs. J.J. Paterson and R.

Mein Austin, of Jardine, Matheson and Company, Limited, and

Messrs. N. S. Brown and F. R. Lamb, of Butterfield and Swire,

at an interview which was also attended by Mr. Beale.

2. I informed them in the first place of the action

already taken as set out in the enclosures to your despatch

and I put to them the question poɛed in paragraph 6. As &

result of the ensuing discussion the representatives of both

firms expressed their considered view that it was undesirable

as matters stood at present, to take up the question with

the Chinese Government and that it was preferable to continue

to discuss specific cases as they arose unofficially with Sir

Frederick Maze on the lines of the representations already

made.

3. Both Mr. N. S. Brown and Mr. Paterson have recently

exchanged views with the Inspector General on this question

(in the case of Mr. Paterson, more particularly in connexion

with smuggling at Hongkong), and they have gained the

impression that he is prepared to go a reasonable distance

in the direction of ensuring that Customs officers will

His Majesty's Minister,

British Legation,

Peking.

apply

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