HC Deb 30 March 1938 vol 333 cc2021-2W
Lieut.-Commander Agnew

asked the Prime Minister by whom the customs revenue of the international settlement in Shanghai is being collected; into what banks it is being paid; and by whom the fund resulting from the collection of customs is now controlled?

Mr. Butler

The Customs Collecting Bank continues, so far as I am aware, to be the Central Bank of China. The duties collected are being paid into the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank and the resulting fund is controlled by the Inspector General of Customs.

Lieut.-Commander Agnew

asked the Prime Minister by whom foreign ships arriving at Shanghai are examined for customs purposes in the international settlement and in the French concession, respectively; and whether in either case since the Japanese occupation these functions have been allocated exclusively or mainly to Japanese examiners?

Mr. Butler

The wharves in the International Settlement are in the Japanese occupied area. No customs control operates on Japanese-owned wharves in the Settlement or on Japanese ships. The customs examination on other ships and at other wharves in the Settlement is supervised by Japanese members of the Chinese customs staff. In the French Concession Chinese Customs control operates in the normal way.