Hongkong, Sept 1.
'Again it is reported thatthe Ministry of "Finance, in' Nanking. wishes 19 establish Customs stations in. Hons. trong in order to check smuggling from here to Canton and other places Kuangtung. "Mr. Li Sheng-yih, adviser to the Ministry of Finaice, now in Hongkong in connection with this matter:
Presumably' the Hongkong Government has no objection to the estab. Ishment of Chinese Customs stations here, as this does not affect the Brit= {ah authorities in anyway. More than three years ago, the Ministry Finence was ready to put up such establishments here, but in. deference {o the objections of Gen. Chen Ming-shu, then Chairman of the Kuang. tung Provincial Goverament, the project feel through.
Struggling in these waters has been Increasing during the past two years. 'According 10 a reliable source, the Customs revenues collected at Canton in the first seven months of 1931 amounted to. $0,000,000, but. the amount collected in. the' first. seven Tonths of this year resulted only' one-half of the 1901 figures. feared. that' business "depression in Kuangtung is responatble in part for this decrease, but the main' reason for the decline in revenues is due to extensive smuggling.
legal import. goods" into Kuang-ung fs done through various chan nels, while the Chinese Maritime Customs is unable to do anything. This does not include "official import"
motor cars for Canton oMcials_ as rel 25 machinery for the numerous Yoveenment-owned factories, arma= rents, pursuit and bombing planes, tte, Sugar, t00, is Imported to Kuang fung without duty. The sale of sugar government monopoly, hence 1 can be imported as government property duty free. The government Sugar mill does not turn out sulla
Sugar is Imported to fil the gap.
sugar forthe demand and foreig "Apart from these official Imports there' is still considerable smuggling foing on. The Ministry of Finance Ropes to levy customs duties here on goods intended for the Interior. authorities to run after smugglers 1 Hongkong waters than in jurisdiction under the South-west Political Coun-ell.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.