968 -
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
Draft Bill.
No. S. 486.-The following Bill is published for general information:
[C.S.O. 1/6064/38.]
A BILL
[No. 29-8.12.38.-1.]
Short title.
Amendment of Ordinance No. 32 of 1932,
B. 3 (1), as amended by Ordinance No. 25 of 1937.
INTITULED
An Ordinance to amend further the law relating to Empire
Preference.
Be it enacted by the Governor of Hong Kong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Empire Preference (No. 2) Amendment Ordinance, 1938.
2. Sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Empire Preference Ordinance, 1932, as amended by the Public Officers (Changes of Style) Ordinance, 1937, is amended further by the substitution of the words "fifteen per cent." for the words "twenty per cent."
Objects and Reasons.
1. By section 3 (1) of Ordinance No. 32 of 1932, as amended by Ordinance No. 25 of 1937, it is provided that there shall be charged, levied and paid, in respect of the first registration in the Colony of every motor vehicle which, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Police, is not an Empire product, a special licence fee of an amount equal to twenty per cent. of the value of such vehicle, including cost, freight and insurance, on arrival in the Colony, after deduction of the value of the tyres and of any spare wheels or other spare parts.
2. This special licence fee is in addition to the ordinary licence fee payable under any Ordinance or regulations relating to the licensing of vehicles.
3. The object of this Bill is to reduce the percentage charge of the special licence fee from twenty to fifteen and so to implement the Trade Agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, which was signed at Washington on the 17th November, 1938, and which applies to the Colony.
December, 1938.
C. G. ALABASTER,
Attorney General.