XN000022-1984-05-26 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, MAY 26, 1984

CUSTOMS TO WORK THROUGH YEARS AHEAD -

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THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES, MAJOR-GENERAL DEREK BOORMAN SAID TODAY THAT HE BELIEVED THE SERVICE OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT WILL EXTEND RIGHT THROUGH THE YEARS AHEAD, WHATEVER THE POLITICAL CHANGE THAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE.

+HONG KONG IS GOING TO NEED YOU, HONG KONG WILL NEED YOUR DEVOTION AND YOUR ATTENTION TO DUTIES,+ SAID MAJOR-GENERAL BOORMAN WHEN HE ADDRESSED THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT'S

75TH ANNIVERSARY REVIEW AT THE SERVICES' TAI LAM CHUNG TRAINING SCHOOL.

HE PRAISED OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO HONG KONG IN REVENUE PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDING THE TRADE AND INDUSTRY OF THE TERRITORY.

+YOUR TRADITION OF DISCIPLINE, ORDER AND TURN OUT AS SHOWN BY YOUR VERY FINE DISPLAY TODAY IS SOMETHING THAT HONG KONG MUST BE PROUD OF.

+ THEREFORE GIVE YOU VERY BEST WISHES FOR THE FUTURE AND 1 HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SERVE THE TERRITORY IN THE FUTURE AS WELL AS YOU HAD IN THE PAST,+ HE ADDED.

THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE BEGAN AS A SMALL DIVISION OF

IT WHAT WAS THEN THE IMPORT AND EXPORT DEPARTMENT IN 1909. COMPRISED ONLY 26 OFFICERS FOR THE PROTECTION OF REVENUE ACCRUING FROM A NEWLY INTRODUCED DUTY ON ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS.

WITH THE PASSAGE OF A CONSOLIDATED DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE IN 1931, REVENUE OFFICERS WERE APPOINTED FOR THE EN- FORCEMENT OF THE LAWS OF HONG KONG PERTAINING TO DUTIABLE COMMODITIES AND THE IMPORTATION AND EXPORTATION OF PROHIBITED AND CONTROLLED ARTICLES.

BY 1963, THE ESTABLISHMENT AND STRENGTH HAD GROWN TO NEARLY 600 AND THE SERVICE WAS ESTABLISHED BY STATUTE AS A DISCIPLINED FORCE KNOWN AS THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE UNDER THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT.

THE FORCE WAS RE-NAMED AS THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE IN 1977, REFLECTING THE INCREASE IN FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES BOTH LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. IT WAS THEN ONE OF THE THREE CONSTITUENT DEPARTMENTS OF THE FEDERAL TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT.

ON AUGUST 1, 1982, FOLLOWING THE DEFEDERALISATION OF THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT, THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE WAS MADE AN INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENT.

AT PRESENT THE SERVICE HAS OVER 2 500 PERSONNEL OF ALL RANKS.

AT TODAY'S CEREMONY MAJOR-GENERAL BOORMAN PRESENTED THE COMMISSIONER'S SHIELD FOR THE BEST SQUAD TO HONG KONG ISLAND REGION.

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