Peking, June 10.
Tung Kang, the Minister of Finance, interviewed by Reuter's correspondent to-day, said that he hoped and expected to obtain from the provinces the revenues rightly belonging to the Central Government and to consolidate and fund all foreign loans, using for this purpose a portion of the forthcoming Customs increases, due, firstly, from the creating of an effective 5 per cent. duty, and, secondly, from an additional 24 pen-cent., ultimately reaching 124 per cent., in connexion with which likin would be abolished in accordance with the resolutions of the Washington Conference.
The last 5 per cent. would yield approximately Ts. 30,000,000, whereas the Government was receiving Tls. 40,000,000 from Jikin, although the actual Jikin collections amounted to Ts. 200,000,000. Thus the Government would benefit to the extent of Tls. 10,000,000, while the people would save Ts. 150,000,000, which is at present absorbed by provincial officials and collectors.
Tung Kang said that he intended himself to take up the Director-Generalship of the Wine and Tobacco Bureau, the revenues of which to the Government he estimated could be increased by reorganization and honest remission from Ts. 30,000,000 to Tls. 50,000,- 000.
The Finance Minister agreed with Gen, Wu Pei-fu that Tuchuns must be abolished, official peculation eliminated, and superfluous troops disbanded, after which the country's finances would be sound. He declared that Finance Ministers hitherto had not looked to the future, but thought only of the present expediency. Thus, each financial crisis had been worse than the former one.
He intended to weigh present necessities against the future welfare of the country. Tung Kang, in conclusion, declared that he did not care whether he was uncomfortable while performing these tasks.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.