50G
or any
LEKIN FARMS.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
26
42
11
"
"
the
[June 24, 1899.
"held in China can yet be maintained" circulation it has so long obstructed, but despite the rivalry and underhand |"that the stream of revenue will at Inst (Daily Press, 17th June.)
"schemes of her enemies." "On the other "flow in the legitimate direction, and the A correspondent whose letter appears in hand, there are those who aver that the
rightful resources of the Chinese Empire "will be enhanced to nu almost incredible another column gives some particulars greatest enemies to the extension of foreign with reference to the Hainan Lekin Farm. trade in China are the Cantonese compra- "amount. It has been estimated that of The farm appears to be distinct from that dore class, to which a large proportion of
every $100 collected under the old lekin of the Kwangtung province proper, but is the Chinese British subjects belong. A organisation 810 reached the state established on similar lines, and the re-
hankering after monopolies seems ingrained
"coffers an › 890 stunt. 1°4
on the
w herens marks made in an article that appeared in in men of this class and they care not
"when judiciously managed the result this column on the 27th May with refer what injury may be done to tradal ought to be precisely, the converse." ence to the Kwangtung Farm are equally interests in general if they can by farming The levy of lekin was most unfortun applicable to the Hainan institution. On that any particular tax in Chiua secure for ately and mistakenly recognised by occasion it was said :-"This is not a ques- themselves a monopoly in some branch of British Government long ago and having "tion of that oft repeated statement that trade or substantial advantages over their been so long tolerated it will be difficult if "the Chinese Government have the right competitors. They act according to their not impossible to get rid of it except on n
to impose what taxes they like. It is a lights, and there is no occasion to indulge basis of compromise. The China Associa case where the taxation on a certain com- ia strong language regarding them, but tion in its 1897-98 report said on this sub- “modity is farmed out to a party of indivi- their natural tendencies cannot be lost sight ject: "It is not disguised that the Board
duals who may be trading in the com-
of when the question of according national "of Trade gave away the case in 1868, and “modity themselves and as such is a dis- recognition to such of them as claim to
"that their ruling has weighed on British "tinct monopoly, a thing forbidden alike by be British subjects is under consideration. "officials in China ever since; but it is. "the French treaty and by something British, prestige and influence would not be “maintained that that ruling is opposed to stronger and more luating than the French advantaged by the recognition as British "the intention of the Treaties, and is preg
other treaty, namely, common sense subjects of men who only claim that status "nant with danger to the interests of "and common justice.' In the case of Hai-when they get into trouble and are more nan, the Farmers are, we understand, dir than content to pose as Chinese subjects ectly engaged in the trade in kerosine. oil, when they have au opportunity of battening and the Farm gives them what amounts to the imposition if illegal levies on foreign on trade by renting a revenue farm for a strict monopoly, for no private trader can struggle against the advantages they enjoy.
goods. The Farmers pay a lump sum of $7,000 a year to the authorities, and in return enjoy THE FOREIGN CUSTOMS AND THE the privilege of taxing their competitors' imports at the rate of twenty cents per case, which, it may be noted, is five cents higher than in Kwangtung proper. Now in 1897 the import of kerosine at Hoihow amounted. according to the Customs returns, to 920.000 gallons, or, say, 92,000 cases, which at 20 cont per case would yield a total duty of $18,400. The Farmere getting the privilege of imposing this amount of taxation for pay- ment of $7,000, it follows that they can afford to sell their own oil at rates which will undercut all competitors. Probably they may have to pay a good deal more thau $7,000, for it is unlikely that the native officials would be content to be let out in the cold. But whatever the exact figures" that may be shown by the Farm's balance sheet, the one object of the institution is to establish a monopoly and cut out the foreigner. Will the Foreign Governments stand the outrage? The Farm covers not only kerosine, but also cotton and cotton yarn.
**
66
COLLECTION OF LEKIN,
(Daily Press, 23rd June.)
In the Ningpo Consular report: for 1898 Mr. G. H. M. PLAYFAIR refers to the transfer of the collection of lekin to the Foreign Customs. As a guarantee for a pertion of China's indebtedness it was agreed that the lekiu collection at the Yaugtsze ports and at Ningpo should be placed under the control of the Foreign Customs, and much interest was felt as to the outurn
of the experiment, transfer has not yet taken place. Mr. but the
PLAYFAIR
says:
The efficient manage- "ment of this branch of taxation pre- supposes the acquisition of a vast amount "of novel experience on the part of the prospective controllers, all of which has to be assimilated before it cau be brought "to bear. This acquisition is being pro- “ceeded with, and the actual collection of the "lekiu revenue by the customs has not yet "been started. Still, the preparatory work Another consideration is suggested by "nlready effected is considerable. ' Present these Lekin Farms, and that a very dis indications, however, point to the transfer agreeable.one. In the case of the Kwang-being indefinitely deferred, which would be tung Farm, if not or the present occasion unfortunate, unless it were in pursuance of certainly on a former oue, and also in the a scheme for the trans'er of the collectorate case of the Hainan Farm, Hongkong Chi-over the whole empire at one time instead of uese are interested, and in some cases these Hongkong Chinese are British subjects. In their letter to Lord CHARLES BERESFORD the Hon. Dr. Ho KAI and Hon. WRI YUK speak of the difficulties British subjects of Chinese race experience in obtaining recog- nition or protection from British Consuls in
taking over a portion of it only, or, what would be still better, the commutation of all lekin and other charges by one single pay; ment, as contemplated by the treaties, and us is the desire of foreign merchants.
ficial results, not to China alone,
but
commerce;" and the hope was expressed; that the communications made by the Association to the Foreign Office had not which the Board's initial misinterpretation been without effect in modifying the attitude
of the Treaty has led successive Govern- ments to assume. It would be satisfactory to find that that hope had been realisel.
༽
"
It has been recognised by the various bodies representing foreign opinion in China that China's request for a revision of the tariff would not be unreasonable, provided the revision covered the whole foreign goods and that the present irre- question of the levies to be imposed on gular charges were done away with. The transfer of the lekin collection, to the Foreign Customs, while it would constitute would a great advance on the present system,
the imposition of o
prove less satisfactory than
one inclusive charge at that the collection of lekin by the Foreigu the port of entry. It is possible, indeed, Customs might prove a great disappoint- ment; in fact it could not fail to do so if the Customs officials were required to not merely as the agents of the local authorities in the collection, and no precautions were taken to permanently fix the amount of the To take an example close to our own doors, charges.
the Kowloon Customs collect the Chingfei or military defence tax for the Viceroy of Canton on the trade with which they have to deal; the amount of that tax may be varied from time to time, and all the Cus toins have to do is to collect it and account for the proceeds. If the collection of lekin throughout the whole country were handed over to the Foreign Cistoms on similar terms, no doubt trade would bene-
fit by the introduction of honesty and in- telligence into the service, delays and petty inconveniences would be minimised, but the important question of the exact subjecte would still remain
Mr. PLAYFAIR anticipates highly bene-taxation to which foreign game to China Having referred to the alleged to all 'Eurepean, merchants, from the uncertainty, as the amount would se
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danger of international complications, the writers ask:-"n the other hand, even though some insignificant international "friction might be caused by extending protection to Anglicised Chinese, would that not be outweighed by the many re- sulting advantages to British prestige and influence ?". Further on, returning to the same question, they say :- By a proper system of organisation and greater en- "couragement to British subjects of Chinese parentage they can be made an arm of strength to Great Britain commercially," and that proud position which she has
transfer of the lekin collection to the ject to variation from time to time accord- Foreign Customs. "It is true," he says, ing to the judgment or caprice of the native "that the recognition of lekin will, at the authorities. Possibly Sir ROBERT HART "first blush, appear to inpose on the would decline to undertake the collection foreign trade a burden' not justified by under such conditions, and the delay that treaty except in the case of opium. But has occurred in making the transfer at the "it has long been an undeniable fact that Yangtsze ports may be due to difficulties in lekin, in its incipience a temporary mea-riving at an arrangement under which the sure, has come to stay. It is equally well exact amount to be levied would be fixed "known that it is burlensome, not so
once for all. "much by its onerousness as by its lack of “definition. Once it has been recognised H.M.S. Waterwitch left Shanghai on the and regulated the result will be, not 15th June for Tinghai, in order to complete the |“merely benefit to the foreign goods whose I survey of that district.
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