Four suggestions were made by the committee. to the Provincial Treasurer, 'The first two are alternatives. Fung: Chukeman was told that' the merchants believe. the government should, if itis humanly Possible, pay buck' to them at once the' $1:480,000 which the inhuman Koo Ying-fan extorted from them, But if the government cannot its way cleat to grant this roque Tenst. it. should. discontinue ito Policy of driving the merchants by means of threats of fine, of arrest and of execution +0 that they will what they cannot afford to pay.
addition, the request was. made that the government should confirm its announced intention of repealing the luxury tax and the stamp. tox retail saleo by pabliely' issuing. ite fiat abrogating. them 'The frst request, Mr, Fung promised to. envefully consider," to submit to General' Lee. Tsai-sam, and. to place before. the branch, 1 Bective Committee, Com= toa lay, in. answer to. the tecond request, the Treasury agents were not erinitted. to. molest the Shopkeepers. But no answer to the Inst two clauses of the Chamber of Commerce petition hay been given.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.