and Tenants Peking, June 27.
'A special order issued by the Metropolitan Police in connexion the new house tax contains the following regulations for sessment:—
Houses are divided into three classes. The first class is again divided into three grades, Namely:
—Those to pay over $15 " month in taxation. 2.—Those to pay over: $13, 3—Those to pay over $10.
The second class is similarly divided into three grades as follows:—
The "Central China Post" says that the return of the Russian concession to the Chinese was effected to-day, apparently in a somewhat half-hearted manner, by hoisting the Chinese flag over the municipal and the police station and decoration of police helmets with @ new Chinese heraldic device
cockade, place of the familiar" Russian for some were obviously attracting tention to the change, and so surreptitiously was it done that quite er of municipal employees were not aware that they were working under a new banner, The change, the paper declares, is, likely to be remembered by Chinese and foreigners alike as being a day of importance in the annals of Bane kow.—Reuter's Pacific Service.
1—Those to pay over $8. 2, Those to pay over $6. 8—Those to pay over The third class is divided into grades as follows: 1.—Those to pay over $2 a month. 2—Over $1, and 3.—Over 50 cents.
The classification and grades are based on the value of the property. and the manner of living of the occupants, as well as of the rental in the ease of leased properties. The taxes are to be paid by the occupants, and in the case of empty houses no tax is to be imposed, Poor people unable to pay the tax can apply to the local authorities for exemption. Schools, missions, temples and similar institutions not, carried on as business concerns are exempt from the tax. With these, exceptions, the order says, all residents, foreigit and Chinese, are to be taxed.—Reuter's Pacific Service.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.