2
of their refusal to pay the municipal taxes demanded by the local town council at Harbin.
I also beg to submit copy of my reply to the firm's letter.
Gentlemen,
Enclosure 2 in No. 1.
I have, &c.
ROBERT WILLIS.
Acting Consul-General Willis to Messrs. Craig and Co.
Mukden, December 4, 1909.
I BEG to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 1st instant, in which you inform me that you have refused payment of the sum of 200 roubles demanded from you by the town council of Harbin as "taxes for 1909."
Under present conditions it appears to me that neither the town council nor any other local authority has the right to collect municipal taxes or other taxes from British subjects at Harbin, and pending the conclusion of an agreement granting such rights I intend to support British subjects in their refusal to submit to any local taxation
whatever.
I am, &c.
ROBERT WILLIS.
3
Enclosure 5 in No. 1.
Mr. Macgregor to Acting Consul-General Willis.
Dear Mr. Willis.
Harbin, December 3, 1909. I HAVE had an interview with the railway authorities to-day, and have arranged to see General Horwath on Monday afternoon, the 6th instant, to finally settle the matter of renting spaces at Harbin, Kuanchengtzu, Ta-la-chao, Shuang chen
pu, Tung-shi-shan, and Wei-shar-tzu, for storing beans, &c., and the erection of temporary godowns,
I enclose copies of rough translations I have been able to obtain, through the courtesy of the American consul, of the proposed form of lease and also of the note I should be of promise which requires the knowledge and consent of our consul. very much obliged if you would be good enough to telegraph on receipt whether you are willing to countersign the note of promise. The authorities inform me that, unless We ourselves your signature is obtained to the latter, they cannot grant the leases. are perfectly willing to accept the conditions, and our business operations here will, I fear, be much restricted if we are unable to rent the various spaces offered to us on these conditions.
The term of lease for the space at Harbin is for ten years and for the stations one year, and the rent is reasonable.
Apologising for troubling you, I am, &c.
Dear Sir,
Enclosure 3 in No. 1.
Messrs. Craig and Co. to Acting Consul-General Willis.
Harbin, December 1, 1909. THE town council of Harbin have to-day demanded payment from us of 200 roubles as "taxes for 1909," to be paid within nine days.
As we understand the consular body have not yet arrived at any decision regarding taxation of foreigners in this town, we have refused payment.
We shall be glad to hear from you on the matter.
(No. 62.) Sir,
We are, &c. Craig and Co. (Limited),
N. RAMSAY, Director.
Enclosure 4 in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Willis to Sir J. Jordan.
Mukden, December 7, 1909.
I HAVE the honour to enclose copy of a letter I have received from Mr. D. Macgregor, of Messrs. Samuel Macgregor and Co., in which he informs me that the Chinese Eastern Railway authorities will not grant him leases of land at Harbin and other points on the Chinese Eastern Railway unless such leases are countersigned by myself.
Mr. Macgregor states that personally he is willing to accept the Russian condi- tions, and that his business operations will be restricted unless he is able to obtain the land offered to him
1 also enclose in translation copies of the proposed form of lease or note of promise, which Mr. Macgregor obtained through the courtesy of the American consulate at Harbin.
I telegraphed to Mr. Macgregor this morning to the effect that under present conditions I was unable to countersign the documents as requested.
I have, &c.
ROBERT WILLIS.
Date
DOUGLAS MACGREGOR.
Enclosure 6 in No. 1.
Notes of Promise.
(1.)
*
WE the undersigned hereby give note of promise to the administration of the Chinese Eastern Railway as follows
1. We
rented from the administration of the Chinese Eastern Railway a lot of land which belongs to the railway mentioned, which measures and marked on the square sarj., which is located at station
plan of the station mentioned, and which is attached to this note of promise, for building warehouses for grain products and living quarters on the following conditions:-
to
, ie., from
per year,
2. The term of the lease of the lot is for
3. The rent is
per square sarj., and the whole lot which sum shall be paid on signing this note of promise.
4. On the land mentioned is given the right to build warehouses for grain products and the necessary living quarters according to the confirmed project of the administration of the railway: other buildings besides those mentioned above we have no right to build without the permission of the administration of the railway. After the expiration of the date of the lease all the erected houses we are obliged to move within a month's time, otherwise all the houses will be the property of the administra- tion and under its disposal.
5. We,
have no right to give over the lot that is rented by us
to another person without the written permission of the administration of the railway.
6. We,
have no right to prevent the laying through this rented lot of railway water and canalisation pipes, and also to hang on poles electrical wires.
7. We,
>
are obliged to submit
For foreigners the attached special note of promise will be used instead of this
article 7.
5. In case of non-fulfilment by us,
of one of these articles of the note of promise, the lease agreement will lose its strength, and the lot that is rented
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