1903 - The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce

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year, when the Kuang Hsing Syndicate farmed the levy, we wore
ordered to abolish it, a::; there wa;; ~ome thing in it which was contrary
to Treaty. This farm of the Licence on Boiled opium by thr H rng Chi
Syndicate is a matter of a kind which we have had before in l'hina,
am! concerns our internal administration. As f'anction has been given
(hy the Higher Authorities) to t.he enterprise, the ,:yndicate is at liberty
to begin operations and collect the money according to the rrgulations.
As regards the petition of the syndicate to reduce the levy by one half,
and also to reduce the sum paid to Government to $600,000, and to
admit Wu Y AO P'ENG to join in the guarantee and become manager, as
it is for the purpose of combining together in t.he interests o£ the Puhlic
Service, we, as is right, grant it. llut as to the period of thirty-eight
years for which the farm was originally granted to the syndicate, as the
yearly sum to he paid to Government ha.:; been reduced, the syndicate is oow
permitted to attempt to carry out the scheme for fiye ~·ears only, and if
successful, the levy shall be increased, and the sum to be paiJ to Government
increased to its former figure $1,000,000, when the syndicate
may be granted the farm for thirty-eight years, and thus carry out the
original agreement, and also provide for the indemnity.
Another set of Proclamation ha:; been issued, and tlw syndicate has
been ordered to fix the date of brginning tht> ln·y, m11l to pa_Y the monthly
instn lnH•nts at the proper timr, in order to meet the indemnity.
"\Ve haYe reported the whol