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étrangers et les autorités Russes pour toutes les questions qui pourraient être du ressort de ces autorités et dans lesquelles des intérêts étrangers seraient impliqués.
Je saisis, &c. (Signé)
Inclosure 6 in No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to M. Pokotilow.
D. POKOTILOW.
M. le Ministre and dear Colleague,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 8th instant,
Peking, February 13, 1908. in which you have been good enough to furnish me with the authorized text of Article VI of the Treaty of the 8th September, 1896, between the Chinese Government and the Russo-Chinese Bank. Your Excellency requests me to bring this Article to the knowledge of British subjects who may have interests in the land belonging to the Eastern Chinese Railway, and to instruct the British Consular authorities in Manchuria to address themselves to the Russian Consul-General at Harbin for any explanation connected with or claims arising out of the interests of their nationals in the railway territory.
In reply, I have the honour to state that I am forwarding a copy of your letter to His Majesty's Government and requesting their instructions, on the receipt of which I shall not fail to communicate again with your Excellency.
I avail, &c. (Signed)
Inclosure 7 in No. 1.
J. N. JORDAN.
Regulations for the Municipal Administration at Harbin.
ARTICLE 1. In accordance with the general principles of the organization of the municipal administration on the places of the Eastern Chinese Railway, the right to manage the town economies and good order in Harbin must be given to elected organs of the local public Administration (Article 10). functions of the said organs shall belong to management and the President of the The superintendence over legal Eastern Chinese Railway Company.
Art. 2. The matters which must be placed within the province of the public Administration of Harbin are as follows :—
1. Management of the taxes and dues for the benefit of the town.
2. Management of town property and finances.
3. Superintendence of the town improvements; the building of the town according to confirmed plans; maintenance of the streets, squares, bridges, wharves, public gardens, watercourses, sewerage, town lighting, telephones, slaughter-houses, &c.
4. To give careful attention to avoid the scarcity of and high prices on articles of first necessity of life; for this purpose having under the direction of the public management stores for the sale of firewood, bread, and meat.
5. Management of medical, sanitary, and veterinary departments of the town, and the city hospitals and cemeteries.
6. General supervision over the formation of boards of charities and benevolent institutions.
7. Management of the fire department, and mutual municipal insurance against fire.
8. The organization and maintenance of public schools, libraries, museums, theatres, and other educational establishments, and to encourage all private educational institutions,
9. Careful attention to the development of local trade and industries, arrangements of markets and bazaars, proper supervision over the promotion of commerce, and the institution of regulations concerning the relations between employers and employés in manufacturing, trade, and industrial establishments.
10. Maintenance and operation of omnibuses, tramways, and steam-boats, and also the superintendence over all similar private undertakings and carriers.
11. The economical management of places of confinement.
12. Supervision over buildings, and the confirmation of their plans and façades, which will be built by private individuals.
13. The organization of pawn-shops and credit banks.
Note. With regard to paragraphs 9, 10, and 12, the rights of the public Administration to fix rules governing the relations between employers and employés, supervision over undertakings and carriers, and the confirmation of plans and façades of buildings are irrespective of the Eastern Chinese Railway.
Art. 3. The sphere of action of the public Administration shall be limited to the town property denoted on a plan approved by the management of the Eastern Chinese Railway to the composite grounds under the name of the said Company and of the public Administration and of private individuals, All streets, public squares, parks, gardens, bridges, &c., located in the said territory shall remain for general use, and may be turned over for other purposes than for municipal use not otherwise than with the permission of the management of the Railway Company. Vacant lots which are intended by the Eastern Chinese Railway Company to be leased to private individuals or establishments within the limits of the town territory shall remain the property of the Company till their relinquishment; also lots occupied by buildings of the Company or leased by the Company (to other parties) for a short term.
Art. 4. The public Administration shall have the right, in the name of the town, to buy and sell properties, to conclude contracts, to give notes, and to sue and be sued before the Courts.
Art. 5. The public Administration shall have the right to impose, according to stipulated provisions in these Regulations, collections for the requirements of the town:—
1. By assessment, according to value on unimproved grounds;
2. From houses and buildings;
3. From commercial and industrial enterprises;
4. From conveyance undertakings, bicycles, automobiles, carriages, &c.;
5. From horses and dogs;
6. From lodging-houses;
7. For the transfer of immovable property within the limits of the town, and for transfer of leases on grounds for a long term;
8. From auction sales of immovable property; and
9. For the right to medical treatment in the town hospitals.
Note. Of the grounds and buildings located within the town territory and belonging to the Eastern Chinese Railway Company, only those which are occupied by railway clerks, or are leased, or intended for leasing, according to submitted plans (Article 55) shall be subject to taxation for the requirements of the public Administration. Barracks for soldiers of the rear Amar district and the railway brigade, and also railway labourers, shall be free from taxation.
Art. 6. Independently of the above, to the town revenues shall be applied the fees collected by local notaries for the execution of documents,
Art. 7. For satisfying the necessities of a public character for all the territory of the railway generally—for instance, the prevention of epidemic and epizootic by public supervision, &c., from the revenues of the public Administration (Articles 5 and 6)—there shall be deducted annually for disposal by the management of the railway, with the consent of the public Administration, not over 5 per cent, of the revenues collected. In addition to this, the town resources shall bear a part of the expenses for supporting the Harbin police, which shall be fixed by agreement between the Superintendent of the railway and the public Administration.
Art. 8. All taxes collected from the town population shall be identical for all tax-payers; the rates of such taxes, also the manner in which they are to be collected, shall be decided by the public Administration, as shown in Articles 35 and 41 of these Regulations. The rate of taxation on improved ground shall not be over per cent., and on unimproved ground not over 4 per cent., of the value. The collection of delinquent taxes and also fines, according to fixed rates, shall be made without contradiction by the police or by special Town collectors with the assistance of the police.
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