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. ME
HOWLY
nol, No. 16.
Cory.
192
The Head Bureau for the suppression of opium in the whole pro- vince of Kwang Tung do hereby issue this notification as follows:- We have received instructions from H. E. The Viceroy that as regards to the taxation on prepared opium His Excellency has telegraphically sensulted the Board of Finance and has received a reply from the
We find that this form latter sanctioning a trial of the scheme.
of taxation is to be carried out under methods similar to those used in the Province of Kiang-Su. For every tael of prepared opium, the obarge is 30 cents. We have already ordered Er. Leung Chiu Tong, merchant and master of Kwong Wing Yuen (a raw opium dealer) to under- take the work. We have originally fixed the first day of the 4th Moon for starting the collection of this tax, and have issued a noti- However, fication on the subject for the information of the public.
the matter at issue has been temporarily put off, at the request
of the principal Chamber of Commeros (in Canton), which body desired We have now received a reply to generally elect one for this work, from them, saying that they had met together again and again to dis- cuse the matter of joint recommendation of one for this undertaking, Taking into con- but so far they failed in arriving at a decision.
sideration the conditions of the affair, we find Kwong Wing Yuen is
P
Moreover we have before
more competent than others for this work.
Now it is only natural that given him instructions to do the work, he should put on his shoulders the burden of this undertaking, so as to put an end to orposition and the responsibility be on one only. We have now received instructions from His Excellency the Viceroy that the first day of the 5th Moon be fixed for the enforcement of this new taxation. Besides requesting His Excellency to intimate (the Board of Finance) to have the matter recorded, and inform thetr other officials for obeying the same, we think it fit to issue this notification whereby those trading in raw opium or prepared opium, purchasers of raw opium, smokers, merchants and subjects etc. to obey this uniformally. They must understand that this taxation requires the purchasers of raw opium and preparers to pay so much per tael as the raw opium will yield after preparation, to find security, and pay tax submissively, It is the smokers that are subject to this
taxation
1