1228 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7TH DECEMBER, 1895.
Reasons and Objects.
The principal object of this Ordinance is to enable the documents in the schedule to be stamped, without, penalty, at any time within seven days from their date of execution.
At the same time, it has been thought desirable to slightly alter the wording of sections 8 and 10 of the principal Ordinance, to confer on the Collector a slightly enlarged discretion with regard to the remission of penalties, and to reduce the penaltics from ten and twenty times the amount of deficient duty, to four and ten times such amount, respectively.
W. MEIGH GOODMAN, Attorney General,
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.—No. 506.
The following Despatches on the subject of the Military Contribution, which was laid before the Legislative Council on the 5th instant, is published.
By Command.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 7th December, 1895.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Colonial Secretary.
No. 267.
(Governor to Secretary of State.)
SIR.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
HONGKONG, 28th August, 1895.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Lord RIPON's despatch, No. 156 of the 27th June last, on the subject of the military contribution to be paid by this Colony.
2. On receiving this despatch I at once communicated it to the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council, who have forwarded to me the reply, a copy of which is enclosed.
3. In this reply you will observe that the Unofficial Members, while not opposing the principle of fixing a proportion of the revenue as the amount of the military contribution, urge that what may be regarded as the municipal items of revenue should be exempted from the percentage to be charged, such exemption having been granted in the case of the Straits Settlements.
4. As you are aware, no municipality exists in Hongkong, and for that reason no distinction has hitherto been made between the revenue collected for general and for municipal purposes. But, though no such distinction has been made, there are certain items of revenue which may legitimately be regarded as municipal. and which, if a municipality existed or were created, would be levied and expended by it. The enclosed list, drawn up by the Acting Treasurer (Mr. THOMSON ),- shows what these items are. If this Colony is to be treated in the same manner as the Straits Settlements, where the local or municipal revenues, amounting in round figures to 1 million dollars, are exempted from contributing towards the military expenditure, it would seem to be only fair that the municipal revenue of Hongkong should be allowed to enjoy a similar exemption.
5. In this connection it should be remembered, as the Unofficial Members point out, that loans have been raised by this Government for the purpose of carrying out works of a purely municipal nature, such as water-works, markets, &c., and it appears equitable that the revenue derived from such works, instead of being subjected to a charge of 17 per cent., should be applied to their upkeep,. to defraying the interest on the moneys raised by loan to construct them, and to forming a sinking fund with a view to the ultimate liquidation of the debt incurred
on their account.