CO129-368 - Acting Governor May - 1910 [8-9] — Page 94

.1900

TRANSLATION.

$1

IATO'

Jeurent bard

.pað t#nonr10.0

·218j97000 lain:100 JOAJAISWA

=

Jūs je mekaul a to wol helvitent jy boar of gert os bonal 108

ensilab qo ghull end of etelesh aniqu ran retard add yd

#indoset zettel #kt: al of bemeter Berlbudteeengan si?

miwdi au ung að bæal free vahetuəq umar havdane (umadin komorem ddim

cult to Inenmad. ad emirves of qisd an not bajua nu

anoitelugor yninna'tar vid ima 14:

•ɔte uveri ev

sponsab.4.I (bg)

To beg respectfully to inform you that the License Monopoly at Swatow has commenced operations since the 3rd day of the 6th Moon. Its regulations and notices are often contradictory: for instance, according to the regulations, the tax is levied after

the opium is prepared, in which case it does not concern the raw opium honge, but the notices on the contrary order the raw opium hongs to furnish a security for collecting the tax on prepared opium on behalf (of the farmers) to whom licenses for carrying on business

are applied for. On the Swatow merchants refusing to comply with this arrangement, they (the farmers) were afraid that foreigners would interfere and they have now 'changed their plan. Instead of detaining

the opium and placing obstacles in the way when imported, they detain and search (the opium) as dictated by their mere fancy, at the

Railway Stations, licensed junke and the various customs stations.

On the 18th and 19th days of this moon, the Swatdw merchants for-

warded to Ketyung 16 balle of foreign opium and 26 chests of native

opium, all of which were detained by the Pan Toi Kwan (Ketyung fort

station). Nominally the tax is levied on prepared opium but in

reality it is levied on raw opium. Now they have revised the

regulations to the effect that an intending purchaser of raw opium

must first pay the fee and apply for a licenes at the Prepared Opium

licence Office. He is then to change this licence for a permit for

the purchase of raw opium at the Inspection Bureau before he is

allowed to purchase raw opium at from the raw opium hongs. The raw

opium honge must verify the permit for purchase of raw opium before

the (raw opium) can be sold. Consequently the tax on prepared opium

is paid before the raw opium is purchased. Can it still be said that

the raw opium is not affacted? Now we of the trade at Swatow in

consequence of this action of the said Office not only cannot import

the goods recently ordered but are also unable to dispose of what we

have already on hand. Our business is almost at a standstill.

We

have