524
t
raise a large revenue by the imposition of customs duties.
The trade of Weihaiwei exists solely by reason of the fact
that it is not liable to the customs duties levied in the neighbouring Chinese ports. There is, no doubt, a stage between complete freedom and the levying of duties on the
Chinese scale at which it would be possible to raise revenue without reducing trade e.g. an ad valorem duty of 2% might leave sufficient margin to make trade profitable - but it would be a matter of experiment, difficult and some- what risky, to find the right mean and I should not advise any attempt to introduce a general tariff. It would, however, be possible to secure a certain amount of revenue from articles imported for local consumption, such as cigarettes and kerosine oil, and in course of time a satisfactory addition to the income of the territory might
be obtained in this way.
34. This, however, is not the reason for which
I lay stress on the importance of securing the right to levy customs duties. The fact is that at the present time the Government of Weihaiwei is, in my opinion, acting contrary to the promise given by His Majesty's Government by levying what are called "Shipping Dues". These dues are at the rate of one half of one per cent ad valorem on all goods discharged from or landed at Government piers or wharves. The argument that they are a payment for the use of these piers and wharves could scarcely be maintained if
(It would it were challenged. A fixed sum per package have to be a very small one to be commensurate with the facilities afforded.) or a charge varying in accordance with the size of the package might be justified on this ground, but the introduction of the ad valorem principle seems to me to make this position untenable and I do not think that it can seriously be disputed that these dues are really customs duties. In any case no such argument could be advanced in respect of the levy of a tax of 2 cents per
picul
•
-
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.