Present Position of Foreigners Somewhat Vague: Matter "Too Delicate" for Chinese Officials to Discuss Some misapprehension has arisen in connection with the report which. appeared in the "North-China Daily News" last week apropos of the establishment of a Revenue Stamp Tax Bureau in the Interna-Yional Settlement by the Chinese' Government.
Certain people were under the impression that foreigners would be involved but, after investigation, we Vearn that, for the present, this is not to be.
Various questions relating to the position of foreigners in respect of the tax were put to officials of the Bureau by a representative of this paper and an unofficial statement swas made. When this was shown to the director, Mr. C. ¥. Wong, he said What an official statement would be issued. No official statement came and we were informed—that none would be made on the ground that "it is a very delicate question"" which they were not prepared to discuss, Accordingly, the matter was taken up with a foreign official, who in a position to know the entire! situation, and he said, in reply to! cour question, "What, protection there for the foreigner against th stamp tax?" that, as the various governments concerned do not re-agnize the stamp tax law, their nationals cannot be compelled to use hem. The sole purpose of selling the revenue stamps in. the Intern ional Settlement. is for the convenience of those who voluntarily apply for them. Foreigners who failed to affix Yevenue stamps. to their documents and books would not be liable to prosecution, deal with them." From this source, it is farther learnt that the Bureau Will be established at 150 Sinza Road and not in Avenue Edward VIL as mentioned in a previous article. On the stamps, which will circulated in the International Settlement, there will be superseribed two characters "Teh Chu," which mean special district.
The stamp tax law was enforced at the end of 1927 in Chinese territory and it is divided into three lasses, covering all sorts of documents; contracts, certificates, Class A' provi tion of the stamp tax on ordi documents, the amount of the stamps to' be affixed being one and two cents, however, we find that ten cent stamps must be attached to cheque books, pass books and account The Law's Requirements Class B, sets the rate of taxation according to the following values:—
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.