883.512 Motor Vehicles/45

The Minister in Egypt (Jardine) to the Secretary of State

[Extract]
No. 694

Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch No. 646 of January 21, 1933,11 and to report that as a result of the strong and unyielding position taken by the capitulatory Powers the Egyptian Government has at length abandoned the collection of the illegal taxes imposed for some time by the Roads and Bridges Department of the Ministry of Communications and has suspended or substantially modified the restrictions imposed upon commercial motor traffic.

Since both the taxes imposed, as well as the restrictions introduced, have been contrary to existing legislation, notice of the action taken by the Government has been limited to a notice issued to the press by the Ministry of Communications reading as follows in translation: [Page 849]

Certain measures, prescribed on the occasion of the examination by the Automobile Commission, organized by the decision of the Council of Ministers on December 31, 1931, of applications for licenses or permits and applications for renewals, have given rise to difficulties which it is expedient to suspend in the interest of the mission which was entrusted to it by the decision of the Council of Ministers of February 23, 1932, and for the regulation of various questions which have arisen because of the automobile traffic.

The Minister of Communications, upon the recommendation of the said Commission, has decided to suspend the said measures until further notice.*

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Respectfully yours,

W. M. Jardine
  1. Not printed.
  2. From La Bourse Egyptienne of February 20, 1933. [Footnote in the original.]