Withdray Watchmen on Refused to Pay Rates 'The Chinese Ratepayers' Association is annoyed because, they say, uceording to the Chinese papers, the Municipal Couneit has withdrawn [the police watchmen posted at the Lao Kao Lun Silk Store in ret tion of the refusal of the company' Jeoncerned to pay the increased municipal taxation, In the course of a letter to the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs, who is asked to lodge a protest, they say that, hoping to uphold Chin: -|sovercign rights, the company concerned refused to pay the increased, municipal rates. "Now the Council," they continue, "has withdrawn the police watchmen, who are paid for! jand fed by the company. As it ie Wg¢] the duty of the police to maintain peace ind order, this responsibility. cannot be avoided by the Council until the Settlement is handed bank to the Chinese Government. The main-[tenance of order and the payment of rates are two entirely distinct matters. If, therefore, there are any robberies and the Council shuns its responsibility, it (the Council) must be held liable' for damages sustained because it shows its powerlessness act, We must, in this case, ask; you to protest."
Council's Action Against Licencees Licences issued to hotels, restaur-fants, food shops and other establishments in general, stipulate inter Jatia that taxes levied by the Shang. Hhai Municipal Council must be paid within 14 days of due date, Licences also provide that in the event of non-performance of the conditions therein provided and which are part of the contract betive en the council and licences, the deposit paid by the lieencee may confiscated and the licence withdrawn, In view of the non-observance of their contract by many Chinese Ticencoes, the council hax found it necessary to take drastic measures }to enforce payment of taxes, which payment has been with-held by ordinarily law-abiding licensees at the instigation of agitators.
On Thursday, squads of police as-companied tax-collectors in the Settlement and those who still re. fused to make payment of the legitimate taxes authorized by a arge majority of ratepayers at the last annual general meding, were informed that they would be given a further 24 hours in which to make payment. In the event of further refusal, licences would be revoked and licences' premises would be Jelosed and u picket placed on they Jdoor to ensure the efficient earrying_ out of the step taken. is understood that quite a number of Chinese ratepayers realized their obligation under their licence contract and paid, a greater number still refuted to make pay-
"The King Lay Ham Shop at 3 [Nanking "Road has already been
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.