The Chinese Ratepayers' Association on Wednesday circulated a note to the local merchants appealing, to them to join in the opposition the enforcement of the general in-foreuse of municipal taxes and recommending that they should refuse en bloc to puy. The Asseciation says that in the event of the Council resorting to assistance from the law courts, the Associ tion will undertake to engage coun-vel for their defence and to meet all expenses and they (the Axsociation) will assume responsibility any damage which may be st ined by the merchants. The Association further requests the merchants to organize street committees to take charge of the matter so that, should emergency arise, it will be' easy for the Association to notify them within as short a time '48 possible.
In the course of a letter to Dr.
Wa, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Nanking, and Mr, Quo Tai-chi, Commissioner of Foreign Affairs' here. the Association informs these officials that they have definitely decided to refuse to pay the increased taxes ex bloc, The Association has decided, they say, to fight the matter out to the bitter end and will resort to unfavourable measures should emergency arise.
Mr. Quo, in reply, says that he! has brought the malter up before the Consular Body and he will let the "Assceiation know how the negotiations are being carried on from time to time.
Advertisements still continue to appear in the local Chinese press warning the Chinese ratepayers not to pay the increase, while public bodies are holding daily meetings in order to organize a campaign to fight the decision of the Council, The Softer Word The advertisements people to oppose the expressed very vigorously and it would appear as though the Chinese are preparing to resist alt attempts to collect the increased rates en bloc.
the course of a statement, the Uhineve Ratepayers' Association calls attention, '2 the vlgal"
ise and points out that, though the majority of ratepayers in. the International Settlement are Chinese, some 95 per cent. in all the ' Chinese are not given equal rights in the administration municipal affairs. As a matter of fuct. the statement says, the Council nae been monopolized by w minority of foreign members and they pass resolutions without reference to or regard of the Chinese people. Shou! emergency arise, Chinese ratepayers must remain united and refuse to pay their taxes en bloc, the association concludes Copies of this have been sent to the different Kuomintang agencies and to the Nat t Government iz, which is reported to] have issued an order to the Chinese Of the Settlement to refuse to pay the increased rates, Advertisements urging all Chinese 10 oppose the increase in the! Municipal rates again appeared on, Monday in the Chinere press. Principally the "two Kuomintane areans. the "Sinironpaa™ and the "Republican Daily News."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.