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6.
I understand that the principal taxes which
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the Republican Government has relitted are certain taxes on opima, duties on wine, fees for brothels, revenue derived from gambling,
large part of the duty on
export duty on rice, salt, and a portion of the land tax. I am
collecting figures concerning loss in revenue from the first six
items, but I am informed on good authority that the Provisional
Government are only collecting 15 per centum of what they calculate.
their receipts from Lend Tax ought to amount to in due course of
time and only 50 per centum of what the Manchu Government collect-
-ed. The Provisional Covernment are at present remitting a large
portion of the Land Tax in consideration of the assistance given to
them by the population in the course of the revolution and to
compensate farmers for loss of crops neglected to enable them to
take up arms.
Another item of loss of revenue is the junk
and boat licences. This was an unpopular tax in the time of the
Manchus and the present Goverment is not strong enough to collect
it.
7.
The
There is no improvement in the situation
want of control over outlying districts is evidenced by the state
of the rich Shun Tak District where, as I am informed, not less
than 7 different persons claimed to be exercising the functions
of District Magistrate not long ago and where the Provisional Government has at the present time absolutely no vestige of
authority. In a recent case, too in which I made representations to His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General on behalf of the Hong- -kong Cement Company, who for years past have obtained their lime- -stone fran a place on the East River not far from Canton, and whose supply is now cut off owing wholly or in part to disputes as to ownership of the quarries and perhaps also to the desire of the Chinese Authorities to create a monopoly in cement manufac- -ture for the Government Cement Factory at Canton, Mr. J. V.
Jamieson