Ambitious Scheme of Development: Customs Surtax to Raise $4,000,000
The Canton Conservancy Board has drawn up plans for the reformation of Canton water communications, according to the "Canton Gazette." The plan involves conservancy, construction of forts and constructive and_reclamé work in Honam, Chou Tau Jui and along the river to Chiangehuo, The budget for this important task is estimated at $3,800,000. With. in the past two years parts -of the river serving Canton have been getting very shallow, especially the Dart near Taimeimun, which is seven kilometers from the West Bund.
In 1917 the depth of water that place during low tide about three to 3.3 moters (10 to 11 feet); but now it is only two to three meters (7.5 fect). This is of great danger to navigation. It is very common to find steamers aground on that spot. The loss of time and money is-enormous.—If this place is not dredged, the time will come when the Canton River will be entirely unfit for navigation. Therefore, conservancy is inevitable. But the expenditure is great and the proposed method for fund raising is to levy surtax. This will be applied to all Chinese and foreign merchants.
The Plan The plan is as follows:
(a) Surtax will be levied and collected by the Customs on all Custom taxes, except the tonnage dues and the transit duty, at the rate of five per cent. of the original tax. Surfax will also be collected from goods which have certificates for free duty, at the same rate.
(b) Steamers having a net tonnage of over 1,350 tons must pay a tax of two candareens per net ton, once they: anchor in the harbour.
"{e) Those: goods free from duty, except silver and gold, should pay!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.