A
?
10
these Divans will be allowed to keep open between the date
on which their former licences expired and that on which
a new licence for the following year is granted to them:
and with reference to the Attorney-General's assumption in
paragraph 4 of his minute that no fee has been paid and
accepted by the Government in respect of any of these
licences, I have to point out that, although this assump •
-tion is strictly correct, yet all the ten Divan-keepers
concerned have already paid their fees for the first half
year to the Opium Farmer, who has retained them pending the
signature of the bonds and the issue of the licences. I
have also the honour to invite Your Lordship's attention
to the fact that Mr. Hutchison's report shows that one of
these Divans has been open for 20 years, one for 12 years,
two for 8 years, three for 6 years, and that the remaining
three Divans are only new in the sense that they have
recently changed hands. The Memorandum further shows that
these Divan-keepers have invested funds in the equipment of
their houses and that the greater part of the cost of this
equipment would in case of non-renewal of licence be a dead
loss. It would appear therefore that both in respect of
long usage, and in respect of outlay incurred they would
have a valid claim to compensation.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.