'Ten years Inter, im 1928, the net revenue paid into' the Group banks during that year amounted to near-Jy.-$80,000,000, a recrease of over $0,000,000" as' compared with thi Previous year's net revenue, This! eoreased revenue was due: to the usurpation of the Canton Salt Administration by the late Sun Yat-ven.
Between 1914 and 1921, the Salt Administration, under foreign ad-Vieorship, met all obligations. seeured-on the Salt revenue and released surplus funds to the Chinese Government amounting ¢9 nearly. $360,- {000,000 including sone $89,000,000 ted by Provincial authori Tt is noteworthy that administrative expenses amounted to lees than ten per cent, of: the revenue daring this period, From then ov, serious decxerses In. revenue occurred due to civil waa and-illegal appropriation of funds by military authorities and tuehons, Notwithstanding this_ax-Bitrary' interference, the Group banks were able to maintain'a: reserve of $7,000,000. 2 To-day, om account of the unpriftcipled militarists, the Salt Administration is in a state of bankruptey. There is not even. money to. pay salaries, and hundreds: of officials) have been dismissed. The Salt Ad-. ministration can almost be said to be-non-existent.
Foreed into Bankruptcy The revenue in all district with, perhaps one or two exception: being daily appropriated by vari military factions, and the Administration's control of the collections has been usurped by militarists and Politicians in direct violation of the Reorganization Loan Agreement. Thos, a great revenue-producing government department has been forced into bankruptey and years of careful organization have become abortive:
Owing to the intolerable situation existing in the salt revenue producing districts of Liangcheh, Kiangsi, Anhui, and Hankow, there is no revenue accruing to the Administration and with the exception of the district inspectors, assistant inspectors and a few secretaries, the entire staff has been dismissed, In the Shanghai district, the Reorganization Agreement has been violated in its entirety and all func tions of the District Inspectorate have been usurped by a "Salt Commissioner" appointed by the Nationalist military authorities. All vevenue is collected by this usurper. at his office in the International Settlement, and is presumably to further the anti-foreign the "Nationalist" party.
Protests have been lodged the powers concerned but so far nothing has been done. In fact, Aifficult to conceive what moderate steps can be taken to ensure the salt revenue reaching its proper channel.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.