Canton Government Seeks Ca-operation with the Maritime Customs: Hongkong Jubilant and Confident in a New Era of Prosperity: No "Face" Lost Fro Our Ow Connesrosnent The Nationalist Government pro-'Hongkong, Oct. 10.
poses to begin collection of the surtaxes to-day. The Acting Foreign Minister has addressed an indent tie Note to the foreign Powers whose trading relations Liang-Kuang " provinces, The text of the note follows:—(1) The Ministry of Finance is hereby' instructed to levy a temporary internal tax on the consumption or production of such articles fare subject of trade between Liang-Kuang Provinces and other Provinces in China and. foreign countries, (2) 'The rate of taxation shall be equivalent to half of the usual maritime or native' Customs tant, the ease may be, on general arti. cles and to a full tariff on articles of luxury such as silk, silke stuff, toilet articles, fur and leather or: tides of decorations, gems and pre-lous stones and similar goods. Cigars, cigarettes, imported wines, kerosene and gasolene, which are the subject of special taxes are exempt from thig tax.
(3) The Ministry of Finance! for the purposes of convenience may collect such taxes at or near the various Maritime and Native Customs bai and is instructed to make detailed Regulations governing the collection of the said tax.
(4) Any person selling or buying or otherwise dealing in articles on which the said tex hay not been aid shall be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years and or a fine equivalent to 10 times the value of the article or articles which shall also "be confi sented, (6) This Mandate shall come into effect on October 11, 1926, "It seems desirable to emphasize the fact that the new tax is, principle, an internal tax to be distinguished from the imposts levied as Customs duties under the Chinese Maritime Customs system. There fs, of course, no intention to into Sere with the latter ay at present administered, though possible mis. understanding and friction would be avoided if Maritime Customs operation should be available in the collection of the new tax by. the fiscal authorities to be appointed by my Government. to the strike pay, they would eventually have had to. shoulder the! burden. With the resumption of vormal conditions, an era of pros-parity in Hongkong is confidently Tooked for.
To-day witnesses a double event in Hongkong, viz, the end of the boycott and the 15th anniversary of the Chinese public. All the shops. have suspended their business. Many, schools are holding meetings in reerence of the occasion, and Chinese Christians will meet this even-jing in: the Chinese Y. M. pray for the nation.
Tt is expected the night boat service to Canton may resume by tomorrow evening when the Kwong Sai and str, Sai On leave for Canton. On reaching their Hdestination, these steamers will an-char in the stream, as their wharves are not yet ready to berth them.
The Strike Executive has decided to "release" communications between Hongkong and Canton on and after this date. There will be no interference with passengers and the signment of goods to Canton will not be restricted, As far as can be ascertained, passengers leaving Canton for this Fort by British river steamers are not molested. Neither do those who go to Canton suiter any inconveni-arnee at the hands of the pickets. Instead of one, there are now three British steamers running between the two ports, and more than 1,000 Passengers came down yesterday! from Canton. An unusually large' contingent left by the same vessels this morning. Before long more steamers. will be put on the run.
Not only river steamers but Britsh coasting liners now steam up fo Canton. A few days. ago, the str, Sinkiang of China Navigation Ca., and two Jardine steamer, went op the Canton River. They expect take cargo and passengers from Canton to Shanghai vich Hongkong.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.