¦
CÓNFÍDENTIAL.
Sir,
گھر
REC
32767
346
RESE 11 JULIF
GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
HONGKONG. 27th. May, 1916.
27
In reply to your Confidential Despatch of the
31st. of March, I have the honour to state that the benefit to be
derived by the Government of Macao in limiting the periods of the
salt monopoly in that Colony would be that arrangements may be
possible within a shorter period than 5 years under which the Governments of Hongkong, Macao and Kwongchauwan might agree to impose in each Colony a uniform tax equal to that imposed in China on all salt consumed locally or exported, to the great benefit of the revenues of the Colonies and of China whose revenue suffers by reason of the smuggling of untaxed or very lightly taxed salt from the Colonies in question into her jurisdiction where a considerable
tax on salt obtains.
Should however the tripartite arrangement not
fructuate, it is considered that shorter periods of letting the Macao Salt Monopoly than 5 years, would benefit the Government of that Colony by enabling a closer following of the market for salt.
It may be remarked that when there was an Opium Monopoly in Hongkong the letting was for 3 years. This system proved much more lucrative than the Macao system of letting her Opium
Monopoly for much longer periods.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient, humble servant,
Governor,c..
RIGHT HONOURABLE
ANDRET BONAR LAW, M.P.,
&C..
&c.