PUBLIC FINANCES
59
five groups of commodities either imported into or manufactured in the Colony for local consumption, upon which duties are levied under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. These are liquor, tobacco, hydrocarbon oils, table waters and methyl alcohol, the importation and sale of which may only be undertaken by concerns licensed under the Ordinance.
Amendments of the rates were made on the 24th February 1960, which included the raising of the duty on hydrocarbon light oils from 80 cents to $1.25 per Imperial gallon and the increase of tobacco rates by $2 a pound on cigars and $1.90 a pound on all other categories. A duty collection point opened at Kai Tak Airport on 1st October to make it easy for passengers to pay their duty as soon as they arrive.
A preferential rate of duty for liquor of Commonwealth origin is levied at between 80% and 87% of the rate for non-Common- wealth liquor. Locally-produced beer is allowed a further pref- erential margin over Commonwealth beer. Rates of duty on different types of liquor range from $1.30 per gallon on locally- brewed beer to $61 per gallon for liqueurs and spirits that are not of Commonwealth origin. The rate on Chinese wine and liquor, depending on origin, is $6 or $7 per gallon, plus 24 or 28 cents per gallon for every 1% by which the alcoholic strength by weight exceeds 25%.
The scale of duties on imported tobacco ranges from $4.90 per pound on Chinese prepared tobacco to $9 per pound on non- Commonwealth cigars. Preferential rates are granted to tobacco of Commonwealth origin and cigars, cigarettes and pipe tobacco of Commonwealth manufacture.
Duty on light oils is $1.25 per gallon. Rates on heavy oils are $104 per ton for diesel oil for road vehicles, $26 per ton for other diesel oil, $24 per ton for furnace oil, and 10 cents per gallon for other kinds of heavy oils.
Table waters attract duty at 48 cents per gallon, and the duty payable on methyl alcohol is $7 per gallon plus 28 cents per gallon for every 1% by which the alcoholic strength by volume exceeds 25%.
Duty on toilet preparations and proprietary medicines was abolished in February 1959, but any containing more than 2%