CO129-367 - Acting Governor May - 1910 [6-7] — Page 135

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Hon, Mr. E. A. Hewett,

Chairman,

Dear Sir,

133

Hongkong, 5th. May, 1910.

Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce.

We beg to enclose copies of 3 proclamations

issued by the Opium Bureau at canton,

You will observe therefrom that from the

1st, day of the 4th, moon (1... the 9th. instant), the Chinese Authorities intend levying a heavy tax on raw opium, amounting to no less than $300 per chest, which is a flagrant violation of the Additional Articles of the Chefoo Convention, according to which no taxes whatsoever can be levied on opium while in transit from the Port of entry to the place of consumption.

who The levying of this tax is farmed to one Kwong Wing Yuen, will collect it from all the Opium dealers, and as it is to be imposed on raw opium at the port of entry, the same opium could be taxed over and over again while passing through the hands of the different grades of dealers before it reaches the actual consumer. It was obviously with the intention of guarding against such an abuse that the proviso referred to was inserted

in the above Convention.

This illegal tax, if allowed to be imposed, will be a very heavy burden on the trade, and we cannot too highly protest against this high handed action on the part of the Canton Authorities. As a matter of fact, it has already had the effect of creating a scare among the dealers here, and as a consequence the market is demoralised, and deliveries have

fallen off considerably.

Under the circumstances, we sincerely trust that the Committee of the Chamber will take such steps as may

be