CO129-501-8 General policy in China 30-11-1926 - 30-11-1926 — Page 53

ECEIVED

16CER 1997 COL. OFFIC

30035 57

121

No

SECRET.

Copies to:-

Canton No. 301.

Peking No. 70.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG 9th August, 1927.

Sir,

30009!!!

pira p27 جباب مسحت

Enclo. No. 1.

On the 2nd August you telegraphed to me that

the new extra-treaty taxes proposed to be levied by the

Nanking Government on and after the 1st September, would

apparently, if imposed, extend to Kuang-tung and you asked

for my observations as to the effect on Hong Kong trade and

for any recommendations I might wish to make.

2.

The decision of the Nanking Government to

seize tariff autonomy in defiance of existing treaties

between China and the foreign Powers was proclaimed on the 20th July last. The nature of the proposals is made quite

clear in the attached pamphlet which contains (1) a

proclamation by the so-called Nationalist Government of the

Republic of China: (2) a law on the abolition of internal

transit duties: (3) a provisional law on national import tariff and (4) a law on excise duty. This pamphlet is being broadcast by the Cantonese Authorities and copies of it have been supplied to me by Colonel F. Hayley Bell, the

Commissioner of Chinese Maritime Customs for Kowloon and

District. It is apparently intended, as from the 1st

September, to abolish likin and all levies whatever in the

HE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LIEUTENANT COLONEL L.CH.S. AMERY, M.P.,

&c.,

&c.,

&c.

nature