CO129-337 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1906 — Page 688

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Land Regulations. In 1901, however, these powers of taxation were exhausted, and His Majesty's Minister was asked to issue a Regulation, under the powers conferred on him by the Order in Council of 1881, making the payment of additional wharfage (or river) dues binding on British subjects as municipal taxes. This Regulation was duly issued, and now forms Regulation 7 A of the Tien-tsin Land Regulations, of which I have the honour to inclose a copy (see Amendment inserted after p. 4, Inclosure 13). As far as I can ascertain, this Regulation has, through some oversight, never been submitted for the approval of the Sovereign in accordance with clause 11 (a) of the Order in Council, but as it was declared urgent it remains effective until disapproved. If my supposition is correct, I have the honour to suggest that this omission should be rectified.

The additional wharfage dues which it was proposed to levy in 1903, to which I have already referred, did not necessitate any change in the Land Regulations, as the powers of taxation under Regulation 7 A were not then exhausted. These powers have, however, now reached their limit, and should the new bar improvement scheme come into operation, a further amendment of the Regulations will be necessary. A draft of the proposed Regulation is inclosed (Inclosure 4), which provides for an additional levy not exceeding one-twentieth of 1 per cent. (or per mille) on the value of goods brought into the British Concession.

I trust that my action in having expressed to my colleagues my readiness to give my sanction to the above-mentioned proposals without previous reference to you meets with your approval. It was hardly possible to fully explain the circumstances by telegraph, and I did not wish to retard a scheme which mects with such unanimous support in Tien-tsin.

(No. 39.) Sir,

I have, &c.

(Signed) LANCELOT D. CARNEGIE,

Inclosure 1 in No. 1.

Consul-General Hopkins to Sir E. Satou.

Tien-tsin, April 19, 1906. I HAVE the honour to transmit berewith a letter addressed to you by Mr. J. M. Dickinson, Chairman of the British Municipal Council, and dated yesterday, and inclosing copy of a Resolution passed at the annual general meeting of the Land- renters of the British Concession on the 26th February last, and submitting a draft of a proposed further Regulation which, if enacted by yourself, would become Regula- tion 7 B in "The Tien-tsin Local Land Regulations."

At the same time Mr. Dickinson incloses copy of the letter addressed by him to Baron Mumm, as doyen of the Diplomatic Body, and which as Senior Consul I have to-day forwarded to its address.

I will forward a duplicate and triplicate of the present despatch as soon as they can be prepared.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

Inclosure 2 in No. 1.

Tien-tsin Municipal Council to Sir E. Satow.

L. C. HOPKINS.

Your Excellency,

Tien-tsin, April 18, 1906. AT the annual general meeting of Landrenters, held the 26th February last, the Council were authorized by resolution "to memorialize His Majesty's Minister to extend the scope of Regulation 7 a, or to add a Regulation, to be known as 7B, to the existing Land Regulations, enabling the Landrenters to impose the tax of per mille on the value of goods on which duty has been paid, or may become payable, in order to give effect to the third condition of the said Resolution.”

I have now the honour to inclose a copy of the Resolution in question, and to move your Excellency to enact the Regulation required. At the same time I venture to submit a draft indicating the scope of the proposed Regulation.

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I should add that the powers of taxation for river improvement conferred by Regulation 7 A have now been exhausted by the taxes amounting in the aggregate to 1 per mille, or 2 per cent, on customs duties imposed by Resolutions passed on the 25th September, 1901, and the 6th April, 1903, respectively, to provide for the service of the Hai Ho Conservancy Loans (A) and (B). The Landrenters now desire this further power in order, as appears from the Resolution, to give effect (if and when the same is approved) to a scheme for raising funds for the improvement of Taku Bar, which was inaugurated by them in June last, has recently arrived at maturity, and has to-day been placed before the Diplomatic Body for their sanction and approval.

For your Excellency's information I have the honour to inclose copy of a letter addressed to his Excellency Baron Mumm von Schwarzenstein, with inclosures, which explain the details of the scheme, and I trust that when it is brought officially to your notice by the doyen of the Diplomatic Body your Excellency will see your way to accord it

your support.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

J. M. DICKINSON, Chairman.

Inclosure 3 in No. 1.

Resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting of Landrenters, February 26, 1906.

THE Council having been notified by the leading local Shipping Companies that they are willing (subject to certain conditions hereinafter appearing) to bind themselves to consent to the imposition of a tax of 1 mace per registered ton per trip in accordance with the requirements of the 4th condition of the Resolution passed by the Land- renters, 14th June, 1905, devising means to raise the sum of 450,000 taels required for the improvement of the Taku Bar (hereinafter referred to as "the said Resolution"), and there being now no obstacle to taking the necessary steps to give effect to the Land- renters' proposed offer to the Hai Ho Conservancy Board contained in the said Resolution, this meeting of Landrenters authorizes the Council generally to do every- thing that in their opinion may be necessary to attain the end in view, and in particular to do the following things :-

1. To enter into and execute all necessary deeds and Agreements (hereinafter referred to generally as "the Bond") with the leading local Shipping Companies to secure their contribution of 1 mace per registered ton per trip from the time of the issue until the final amortization of the loan contemplated by the said Resolution on and subject to the following conditions :-

(a.) Ships which are unable to cross the bar shall pay 5 candareens per ton per trip on their net registered tonnage, with the option of paying 1 mace per ton on the cargo discharged and loaded by them.

(b.) The Council and the Tien-tsin General Chamber of Commerce shall recognize the shipping levy as a general port charge to be paid by all ships coming to the Taku Bar, and the Council shall agree with the signatories to the Bond to use every means in their power, in conjunction with the Tien-tsin General Chamber of Commerce, to prevent any ship-owners from taking advantage of the terms of the Bond to the detriment of the signatories thereto.

(e.) The Hai Ho Conservancy Board's technical scheme and programme of work for the improvement of the Bar shall be subject to the approval of the signatories to the Bond before it is finally adopted and put into execution by the Board, and subsequently any change or changes in such scheme and programme of work shall likewise be subject to the approval of the said signatories.

(d.) The Bond shall be sigued by seven leading local Shipping Companies.

(e.) A Board of Reference shall be formed cousisting of eight members-viz., four representatives from the Landrenters and General Chamber of Commerce, and four representatives from the Shipping Companies, with the addition of a Chairman, to be previously appointed by the consent of the Council and Shipping Companies, and who will only have a casting vote. In the event of any circumstances arising which make desirable to change any of the conditions of the scheme as approved by this Board shall have the power to decide the points at issue; Provided always, that nothing in this condition shall entitle the Shipping Companies, signatory to the Bond, to discon- tinue payment of taxes secured by the Bond, or to take any steps which might prove

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