CO129-587-9 Smuggling of kerosene oil and other commodities into China 22-4-1940 - 19-6-1940 — Page 13

No. 195.

за

Econ

18515 13

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

Sir,

52 MAY 1940

0.0. REGY

22nd April, 1940.

I have the honour to transmit herewith for your

Enclosure No.1. consideration and advice a copy of a letter which has

Enclosure No.2.

ro

Ansa by.

30

5

@

hijag

been received from the Commissioner of Chinese Maritime

Customs, regarding the smuggling of kerosene oil and

other commodities into the Mirs Bay districts.

2.

Exact statistics are not available but this

Government is well aware of the existence on a considerable

scale of the traffic of which Mr. Pritchard complains.

Under the existing Defence Regulations, in particular

Government Notification No.1229 of 29th December, 1939,

of which a copy is enclosed herewith, it is a punishable

offence to export or attempt to export kerosene out of

the Colony without a licence from the Controller of Trade.

3.

Quite apart, however, from the difficulties

which would attend the control of this traffic in the

waters of Mirs Bay, there are certain questions of policy

involved. It will no doubt be agreed that in the existing

chaotic conditions in South China the trade of this

Colony, if it is to continue at all, must of necessity be

conducted on lines which would not be regarded as permissible

in more settled times. In spite of the alleged closure of

the Pearl River and in total disregard of Customs

obligations, an appreciable traffic is, nevertheless,

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

MALCOLM MACDONALD, M.P.,

&C.,

&c.

&c.

• "