Pièce JM-AIY/OttomanRegisters/Vol3/p39b/item278 - About road taxes, 22 May 1899 (Gregorian calendar) - 11 Mayîs 1315 (Ottoman fiscal calendar (Rumi)

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When the multazim of the macadam tax was taken to Jerusalem to inquire him about the problem, he stated in reply that there is no other sentry box on the said other than the old sentry box located between the Yazur Castle and the Neter region, and the center in Jaffa; and that there is a guard in Tel-Ariş, whose duty is to prevent possible escapes. As regards the reason for deploying sentry boxes and watchmen in these points, he noticed that the passengers going through the macadam tries to arrive at Jaffa through various ways between the gardens in an effort to avoid giving tax and that there is no attempt to take a toll from the passengers entering the macadam road between the vicinity of the kaza of Jaffa and the gardens. The content of the specifications given to the said multazim to the account of this year is the same as they were in previous years. According to this specification, as regards the passengers from the villages of the kazas of Lud, Ramla, Gaza and Jaffa to pass through the macadam, it is necessary to take one-third of the toll. When the specifications are examined, it shall be understood that there is no new record requiring from persons entering the macadam, regardless of the road from which they come, to give a toll. The passengers from the villages in the vicinity of the city of Jerusalem are exempted from tax, since they enter the macadam from the location named Sehbender, which is only twenty minutes away from the Jerusalem wall. As presented and stated, this tax has been hitherto taken in return for the reparation and compensation of the damage that might be given to the macadam. Since there is no hospital in Jerusalem reserved for Ottoman citizens and Muslim visitors, it was Requested that the income obtained from this tax be spent for construction of a hospital and in the official letter, dated 9 July 1888 and numbered 20, sent from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it was notified that this Request was deemed suitable by the office of Grand Viziership. In this direction, it was deemed mandatory to increase the income necessary for the administration of the hospital. The written warning, presented by the multazim upon the disallowance of the local administration in Jaffa of collecting the said tax as before, was notified to our council by means of the Office of Notary. It is appropriate to report in reply that it is necessary to collect the said tax as before. The 11th of Mâyis (1)315 (22nd of May 1899).
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