CO129-510-15 China (Companies) order in Council- 1925- correspondence 19-4-1928 - 31-12-1928 — Page 58

Sir,

Copy.

Downing Street,

31st December, 1923.

58

With reference to your letter of the 2nd of

August, regarding the fee payable annually by China

Companies under Hongkong Ordinances 31 of 1915,

I am

directed by the Duke of Devonshire to inform you that

the Governor of Hongkong has now reported by telegraph

his views on a proposal that some differentiation should

be made between public and private companies in the

matter of the annual fee charged, and that a solution of the

question of the duplication of the fee might be found by

levying the fee in full in every case and then allowing

China Companies to apply for a refund of the fee in

respect of shares held by them in other China Companies.

2. Sir E.Stubbs stat es that he agrees to the

above proposal and asks that your Company may be informed

that he intends to act accordingly.

I am,

Your obedient servant,

(sgd) H. J. Read.

The Secretary,

British-American Tobacco Co.Ltd.