PROPOSED SALT TAX IN CHINA

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 722, 22 January 1910, Page 13

PROPOSED SALT TAX IN CHINA

There is much indignation throughout the province', of Canton,' according: to a cable : message: received ' by. the , "Tung Wah Times" (the bffioial organ of the Chinese Empire Reform. Association in. Australasia)! in consequence of ; : a BUggestion by the. Viceroy of the. province to pat a"duty ciu salt.',' The. protesting Chinese maintain.that salt is a ncessary of life, and point :out "that revenue should bo drawn, from- other channels;,which would not operate harshly, on tho general body/of the' people. . The Viceroy explains that owing!.' to the Government forfeiting. 10,000,000 taels- annually by the abolition of. 1 licensed .'. gambling;. houses, they are obliged -to' put an impost 'on 6alt. ; '•'. '-. ■'■:•■,■. '•' :" :.- ... - : -■.'...-'■

The cable further..'-states that, a hiige salt monopoly is in existenco in: Cantun, and that great influence is: brought to bear 'upon the Viceroy,- in order. to : induce him to declaro salt a dutiable:commodity. :■:''■'■■ ■'.':.'■ ■ '.' '■■

■ Tho principal shareholders in the salt monopoly are said to be'thoso who: were formerly ■ interested . in . tho gambling houses. It is freely stated that thu sym-' pathy■:• of. many of the: Chinese newspapers has been procured in. eupport of ■tho; duty, and efforts are-being made, to Set the ear of tho various':provincial .Parliaments to the same endi . ~ .'

Upon' receipt of the cable tho Chinese Empire Reform Association met to consider, the matter, and after discussion it, was: decided, to: send a; messago ■■: to the Chineso Merchants' Association at Cauton,. pointing, out that their protest against the: proposed'-salt'tax .'mint 'withtho full endorsement =of. the Sydney asso'ciation..- cable was ordered to be forwarded, to: the Ministor for Finance at' I'ekin,, stating that tho Chineso in Australia , joined with their, countrymen in.Canton in. resenting the proposal of the. Viceroy. ■ - ■':. . ..'.:■,.-.. .'