Foreigners Paying a Tax of Fifteen and a Half Per Cent, Peking, Oct. 21.
While considerable notice has} been taken recently regarding the question as to whether foreigners =t Shanghai should pay a 5, 74 or 10) er cent. import duty, foreigners in Peking naw have to pay 154 per cent. import dues, which are made up as follows: Customs duty, 5 per cent; "transit due" (which.take the place of the Customs surtax) 24 per cent.; the octroi, 8 per cent ud the "import surtax" or "luxury tax," 5 per cent.
Although the last-named is supposed to be for luxuries only, everything foreigners use appears! to be classed as such, including' necessities like shoes, hats, clothing, and typewriters, Till comparatively recently "for eigners paid only 5 per cant. in Customs dues: hence the dues have been more than trebled.
Officials attached to the Legatoins do not have to pay any duties, but other foreigners must whether they reside within or without the Legation Quarter—Reuter's Pacific Service.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.