On Monday afternoon a meeting of landrenters in the French Concession was held at the Municipal Hall for the purpose of electing a committee to re-usses the land for purposes of taxation. There were present:—Mr. Myburgh (vice-President of the french Municipal Council) in the Chair, and Messrs, Cumine and Gouilloud (Council lors), Revs. Meugniot, Martinet, and M. T. Yates, and Messrs. feilld, Wheeley, Chapsal, 5. J. Keswick, G. James Morrison, J. Buchanan, G. A' Butler, Beauchef, Tong King-sing, "Paul Compradore, and Mr. Bonabeau, Secretary to the Council. The number of votes represented was 41, for 510 mows of land.
The Cuatwawroseandsaid—Gentlemen, the letter which the Council had the honour to address you on the 25th inst. calling this meeting, explains the object which they have in view. Until now it has only been possible to make a valuation of the land property by dividing up the Concession into zones. Several of you have for some time past opposed this method of assessment, but it was impossible to draw up a list based upon the values of the different lots until the whole assessment plan was completed. This plan (cadastral) was finished some months ago, and the Council have decided to entertain the objections which have been addressed to them. Tocommone with, they have had drawn up by gentlemen whose ability and knowledge in such matters are undoubted, Messrs. Leater and Groom, a preparatory list in which each lot has been separately valued. After, to each one among you the result of this first work has been forwarded at the same time as a request that you would transmit any observations which.yon might have to make on this subject. Now, you have been called together in general meeting for the purpose of cles mittee) to examin 3 and to submit for the approval of the Council a list of valuat of the landed 'd property of our Concessi which shall be as fair as possible, The Council hope that this commission, which you will choose, will complete their work in time to allow of the publication of the final list of assessments before the Ist July next. This request explains why the Council have been unable to give you a longer interval to reply to their letter of the 12th May, because it is most important in order to permit of the voting of the land-tax for the year 1882, that this list be published six months before the imposition of the tax. The Council propose the following seven gentlemen to form the commission and to prepare this work, Messrs, Buchanan, proprietor or P. Boruchef yy 9) 60 ut representing $8 mows,
Chapsal 5, 5) 28 5 Ph. Mougniot 5, 3, 72 5, G.J. Morrison}, 19 A. Teilll—), 4) 43, 'M.'T. Yates 5, 31
These propriotora represent 385 mows out of a total of 780 mows contained in the Concession—or the half of the landed interest. They have been kind enough to signify their willingness to accept the delicate task of carrying out this re-assonsment (revision) and the Council hope, that by confirming their choice, you will express your approval of the care which they thus exercise over the interests confided to them by the elector Mr. Gourttoup said—The necessity of landed havin, now assessment schedule of the property drawn up, has been forced upon the to enable them mun cil in ion of the tax. fact, according to the old list, the zone which borders the Whampoa is valued ton times higher than that west of the Concession, whereas in reality this proportion is quite otherwise; the same then may be said more or less of all the other zones, The valuation of each lot separately can alone furnish a fair basis for the imposition of the land tax. It matters little whether the value placed against each lot be actual or fictitious, but it is absolutely necessary, in order to be perfectly just and fair, that the values specified for the different lots are in proportion to each other, a fact which does not exist at present.
Mr. Monrison asked if the valuation decided upon by the Committes would be one against which there would be no appeal by any land-renter who felt dissatisfied with his assessment. He thought there should be a right of appeal to the Council. He did not think the matter would be found serious in practice, but it certainly was so in theory.
The Cuarsan thought there would be room for appeal.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.