To the Editor of the "Norra-Cuina Dairy News."
Sir,—Here is a more flagrant case than those quoted by either of your previous correspondents, and also at Kuling.
Recently two Chinese tax collectors presented themselves at a foreign house in the Estate to measure some new stonework in connexion with the house alterations. They said they had instructions to collect a tax on all stone work.
The foreigner said that the stone all came from inside the Estate and from his own property and was not subject to any taxation. He refused to allow the stone to be measured.
The tax collectors on going away said they would come and measure the walls after the foreigner had gone down the mountain and would then make the Chinese stone mason pay or they would arrest him and send him down to Kiukiang to be imprisoned till he paid up.
Here is an unwarranted trespass on a foreigner's property, and a violation, of all laws and treaties: and further there is lawless taxing of a powerless Chinese workman who has been working for a foreigner. Without any such formality as a trial in any court of law the mason is to be arrested and imprisoned.
This is a case of oppression in a so-called Republic which is wholly at variance with modern conceptions of law and liberty. I discussed this with my Chinese friends who cursed their officials but said they were helpless to obtain redress..
Even to consider the possibility of extraterritoriality being abolished at present would be crime against civilization and take away the only existing lever to compel the Chinese to initiate steps towards the bringing of Chinese judicial procedure into line with civilized practice, I am, etc.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.