To the: Editor of the "Nomrw-DIMNA Dairy NEWS"
Srk,—As a whole I quite agree with Mr. Kao Kwok's letter about the income tax problem in to-day's issue but I strongly object the last alinea:
The Chinese Government could hardly be expected to serve every body with a copy of the income tax law or to translate it into Russian nor to employ Russian speaking tax Collectors. 1t is up to those who have business with the government to learn Chinese and to acquaint themselves with government requirements. This is China, not Russia There are many languages spoken in this world and we cannot learn them all. Some are some are difficult to learn, as for instance Chinese. How long does it take a Chinese to learn his own language to some valuable extent? Moreover some people learn languages easily; most of us never master one properly.
And now I would draw Mr, Kwok's attention to the style in v his own countrymen are treated in the Netherland East Indies, I suppose Mr. Kao Kwok is well aware of the fact that there are some millions of them living happily there. And the Government has special officials dealing with their affairs. Official papers concerning them are printed in Chinese language and in Chinese characters. The courts have special advisers for Chinese affairs and in general conversation with those who do not speak the Dutch language (the majority) Malay is used, which is far easier to learn than Chinese.
When one belongs to a nationality whose language is not spoken generally, one has to make allowances.
I personally know many foreigners (and not only Chinese) who lived in the N.E.I. for a lifetime without being able to learn the language and in many instances Malay. English French or German has to be used as an intermediary Ships entering the ports may r ceive the landing reports they have to fill in in five different languages viz; Dutch, English. French. German or Malay.
The presence of foreigners is appreciated and they are met, not snarled at, in their language difficulties and I think a little more tolerance should well suit Mr. Kao Kwok in this respect.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.