Protest Against New Money-
Raising Scheme Hankow, May 28.
The Committee of the Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Hankow ig making a vigorous protest against the new Dyke Tax regulations, which appear to have been imposed very irregularly and to be collected in a similar manner, A- translation of the regulations, which have been issued in Chinese' only, shows that the new tax is to be collected as follows: on cargo on which the surtax is 2b per cent, the Dyke Tax is to be 1 per cent; on cargo on which the surtax is 14 per cent. it is, to} be & per cent; on luxuries paying 'a surtax of 5 per cent. it is to be 11 per cent; when tonnage dues (on steamers over 150 tons) pay a tax of Tls. 0.20 per ton it is to be 8 candareens per ton; and when tonnage dues (on steamers under 150 tons) pay a tax of Tls. 0.05 per ton ft is be 8 candareens per ton—The Dyke tax on junk tonnage dues collected by the Native Customs is to calculated on the basis of this rate.
The Dyke tax is to be charged, together with the surtax, on smuggled cargo on which the surtax is found to be unpaid, but without penalty. Should the cargo be confi seated and sold the Dyke Tax should be deducted from the pro-seeds, after which deduction—the Proceeds can be distributed as usual, Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.