Several days ago, a tax measure, requiring importers of fresh fruits to pay two and a half per cent, ad Valorem, went into effect. At that time, it was not realized that it was yoing to. raise a nest of hornets, Quietly, the wholesalers affected by the measure got together and marched up to the offices of, the Branch Political Council, their negotiations directly with the municipal officials having broken down, Ina jiffy, these dealers learned that all hope must be abandoned if the Support of any official was to counted on in bringing about the repeal of this tax act.
bout the time, the wholesale merchants began to smell a rat; the tax law in question had rot been publicly posted, but handed Over secretly to the concessionaires to whom the right to collect the tax had been given, and hints were feast by the concessionaires, that Sweet potatoes, taro, and the hun-fired odd varieties of vegetables beaten by the very poor as well as the rich, salt fish, and other foods Tater with the daily rice were within the scope of the law. From government officials the assurance was received that only fresh trait was covered by the act, but no proof was produced, the wholesalers were not permitted to see a copy of the aw with their own eyes, and so they refused to be convinced. Yesterday, after a lengthy consultation, the decision was reached, by the several bhangs that fear the tax collectors' threat will be carried out to close their doors until justice prevails. In this, morning's "Seventy-two Guild," the most popular newspaper read by the Canton merchants, €ditorial comment favoured. a wide strike, involving every Kind of business. But this is hardly likely: to come to pass,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.