159
No.
HONGKONG.
PAPERS ON THE SUBJECT OF THE LIGHT DUES.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of
His Excellency the Governor.
Governor to Secretary of State.
No. 15.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONGKONG, 18th January, 1897.
SIR,
I have the honour to forward here with a petition which I have received from shipping firms in this Colony on the subject of the light dues levied at this port.
2. To facilitate the consideration of the question I should mention that light dues were first imposed in 1875 when one cent a ton was charged on European shipping entering the port and in 1890 they were increased to 2 cents a ton, the increase being made in order to meet the expenditure in connection with the erection and maintenance of the lighthouse on the Gap Rock. It should also be borne in mind that in 1867 a charge was levied on all native craft trading with this port and has been continued up to the present time. This charge yielded in 1895 a revenue amounting to about $50,000.
3. Petitioners now ask that the dues be reduced to the original charge of one cent, as the additional levy of 14 cents has more than paid for the cost of the Gap Rock Light, and as the charge of 1 cent a ton is more than sufficient to cover the cost of the upkeep and maintenance of the present lighthouses. They state, that any charge over and above that necessary to cover such cost will deter shipping from this port and is an infringement of the freedom of the port, which will affect its welfare.
4. So far as light dues are concerned I agree with petitioners that the revenue derived from them should be applied to the purpose for which it is raised, viz., the upkeep and maintenance of the lighthouses; and it is true that the charge of one cent a ton is sufficient to cover all present expenditure incurred on that account.
5. With regard to the increased rate of 13 cents a ton there seems to have been an understanding at the time it was raised that it was to be devoted to defraying the cost of the Gap Rock Lighthouse and there was au implied, if not a distinct, promise that it would not be devoted to any other purpose without the Legislative Council being consulted. In order therefore to redeem this promise, and I have informed the Council that in my opinion it should be redeemed, it will be necessary to abolish the present Gap Rock rate by a resolution of the Council. But petitioners not only desire the increase rate to be abolished in fulfilment of the promise made by Government but they wish the light dues to be permanently reduced to one cent, pointing out that any levy in excess of that amount is not required for the lighthouse service but will be merged in the general revenue to which they contend that shipping should not contribute.
6. In this contention with one exception all the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council, to whom I referred the matter, do not concur, being of opinion that shipping should not be entirely exempt from taxation as petitioners desire, and they maintain that if the present dues of 2 cents a ton are continued not as light dues but as harbour dues there will be no infringement of the freedom of the port-a free port being one at which no customs duties are levied, and there is no intention to charge customs dues at Hongkong. They also consider that the prosperity of the Colony will not be affected by the imposition of such harbour dues.
The Right Honourable
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,
&C.,
&C.
&c.