Customers (5.
Copy
CCIFIDENTIAL.
Sir,
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
3
460
HONG KONG
27th December, 1928.
In continuation of my despatch, confidential, (2)
(a
of 9th November, I have the honour to inform you that on
27th November I granted an interview to representatives of
the British-American Tobacco Company (China) Limited,
consisting of Mr. Archibala Rose, C.I.E., ( Director),
M. Robert Bailey (a Director and Manager in Shanghui) and
Mr. F.A. Perry (Manager in Hong Kong). They came to
press on my notice the advantages of the scheme set out in
the memorandum of 18th September, 1928, enclosed in your
despatch of 26th September, 1928, and they endeavoured to
persuado me that an ad valorem method of taxation was far
more suitable for the tobacco trade than a rated duty.
suggested to them that the British system had stood the
test of time and was likely to be suitable for the trade
in Hong Kong, but they did not seem disposed to accept this
argument. The matter has been further considered by me
in consultation with my advisers, and I have come to the
conclusion that no sufficient ground has been put forward
for departing from the proposals for the taxation of
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
LIEUTENANT COLONEL L.C.).S. AMERY, M.P.,
&c.,
&C.,
&c.
tobacco,