The most important proceedings to report upon this year are the putting in force of the resolution for the collection of Bund Dues from others than hulk owners making use of the bund for landing or shipping goods and the completion of the filling in the pond and subsequent turfing of the site so reclaimed.
Bund Di he collection of Bund Dues was instituted in March, a Municipal proclamation and one by the Taotai being posted atoll Concession entrance gates authorising None but, the slightest irritation was shown by the Chinese and this was probably due og much to failure on, the part of thie police to explain the proceeding clearly as to reluctance on their part to me Matters wore soon arranged smoothly and have worked without friction ever since.
The total amount collected was Tls. $27.25 and the largest portion of this was levied on coal for the Russian tea factories. 'Tea dust for those factories, the levy on which was expected to be the largest, was not landed on the bund but brought in' the Concession by the back street. The levy of one cent par picul was said to be too heavy and the ques tion of its reduction becomes a\lvisable.
The representative of Messrs Molchanoff, Petchatnoff's firm has informed me that in 1899 his firm together with that of Messrs. Tokmakoff, Molotkoff & Ca. will land about 64,000 piculs of tea and coal together, and the levy on this amount at 5/8 of a cent per picul,—an amount which he informs me they are prepared to pay—would amount to $400, Tis, 288.00, which added to the sums collected from others would probably Leave the total collection at much the same figure as at present.
Pond. ~The work of filling in the pond was completed rather-after the middle of March turfing the site to make it a recreation ground, as agreed on with the lot holders who gave up their proprietary rights to the portions of their lots reclaimed, was commenced and completed in December. Only one gravel. path has been made, along the northern boundary, in order to keep' the largest surface of turf possible available for recreation purposes. The cost of turfing ete. is $430.00=Tls. 309.60, $212.39 of which was met by the Local Post Fands—which are now practically exhausted—and the balance. $217.61 by the Municipal Fund. It is suggested that landrenters take into consideration the advisability of building a wall along the west boundary and a pavilion in the the eastern corner. An estimate for a wall as described Sft. Gin. high has been obtained from Lee Kwang for $235.00; plan and cost of pavilion are left for fature consideration.
Kiukiang, 7th January, 1$99.
Ocr. Jou:
HIM. Consul in charge of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.