CO129-558-11 Mission of Sir F. Leith-Ross to China- proposals for a Hong Kong - China customs... 29-9-1936 - 30-12-1936 — Page 47

47

SCRET

AIR MAIL

COPY

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

B.XO KONG.

21st October, 1956.

sir,

In continuation of my secret telegram No.185 of the 12th Gotober, 1936, I have the honour to enclose for your information a copy of the regulations governing “Native Produce shipped from open port to open port via a foreign port or porta" which has since been furnished by the Commissioner of Chinese Karitime Customs for Kowloon and District.

2. The Commissioner in his covering letter states that Lis office has no statistics showing how much this privilege has been availed of by shippers, neither has the statistics office of this Government any record of cargo in transit.

3. It nee clear however that this concession is of considermic value to the Colony since it enable a vessels engaged in the coastal trade, of which there is a great number, to call at Hong Kong en route between ports in China without rendering their through cargo liable to duty. I am informed on good authority that, but for this privilege, it would be necessary for most of these vessels to avoid Hong Kong altogether.

I have, etc.

(Ed.) A. Caldecott.

THE RIGHT HON URABLE

7.0.A. CauSBY-QRE, F.C., M.P.,

(overnor,