As to the next question "What will be the position of foreigners who fail to abide, by the stamp tax Jaws, after extraterritoriality abolished?" we were informed that, far as was known, it depended to shat extent the stamp tax law was
were part of the Chinese laws, part of the laws of Chine. then foreigners "would be subject Tike everyone else but the present, position was rather vague, In reply to a query as to w had been done to protect foreigners 1 in the event of a retrospective ap-Plication of the regulations if and when extraterritoriality were abolished, our informant said that the present stamp tax Inw was not retrospective. No one would agree to the abolition of extraterritoriality Of foreign nationals were going to subject to retrospective penalty those in charge of the negotiations would see to that, Existing rights must be protected.
"Ought foreigners to protest themselves against subsequent throvble by insisting on having all receipts from Chinese ymped? Do foreigners Chinese have to be stamped?" were! the next questions and the reply was that this was difficult to answer.
Tt was presumed that, if extraterritoriality were abolished, existing rights in respect of unstamped documents would not be prejudiced Because it was a matter of negoti tion: at the same time, extra eauitious persons might like to safoguard themselves.
The Consular authorities do not! want fo prevent Chinese themselves from taking voluntary advantage of having stamps for their documents: and they wanted to give all facili to Chinese who wished to be to get stamps whenever necessary. That was all the establishment of the Bureau in the Settlement meant: beyond that, there was no further intention.
The Reported Chinese It is understood that the Chinese authorities think that foreigners should sce to it that revenue stamps are affixed to all receipts and other documents which they receive from Chinese.
According to a vernacular -press statement, however, the Chinese merchants will "be "courteously, prevailed upon: to attach revenue stamps to their books and, if they refuse, application. will be made to Shanghai. Provielonal:. Court- to!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.