14
+ at the abortivi Tariffe
Confer. 2.2. 1 Jan 1929. Afl's It's dali then will
be las con
for mislána
September fell through owing to the domestic
difficulties of the Nanking Government it is
quite clear that an attempt will be made
sooner or later to increase the import duties
beyond the limits authorised, and to snatch
tariff autonomy before the date provisionally
+
In fact there is at this moment
agreed on.
a dispute between the Powers and the Canton
Government owing to the action of the latter even though the the confition, in conniving at a further (though small) increase i.e. the negotiation of a new ticaly
r the promulgation Ja national läriff di shṛ with not be fulfilled:
in the surtax. We know that if any further
substantial increase in the import duties is
demanded the Foreign Office would be likely to
incline to a compromise rather than to whole-
hearted resistance, but no-one can tell in what
form the situation will arise, and in view also
of the difficulty of consultation with other
Powers it is virtually impossible to work out
any policy to meet it in advance. Sir C. Clementi's
despatch in No. 12 confirms the arguments already
communicated to us and passed on to the Foreign
Office in telegraphic correspondence on the General
Policy file, but, if anything, it gives a rather more
favourable picture that we expected of the ability
of trade to stand further taxation, particularly
in South China where the prospects of the abolition
of Likin are better than elsewhere.
The despatch in No. 13 shows how
complicated and difficult is the position of the
Customs as affecting Hong Kong. I do not think
it necessary at this stage to go into the 1890
correspondence as to the status and powers of the
Commissioner.