By George MacManus
WHAT?
AND 1-LIKE A FOOL DIDN'T KEEP IT LONG ENOUGH I SOLD IT FOR FIVE TIMES AS MUCH AS I PAID FOR IT- BUT I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE-
Cavan, Kong Frantri
J
17
BUDGET DEBATE
(Continued from Page 9)
pay
Take the poorer classes, whom it benefit. In their case is ended to there will be
know Lui De relief:
are that most of them
merely sub- tenants; and it will only mean that the principal tenant, who makes a business out of sub-letting will be spared a legi- timate expense and will derive a bigger profi thereby, while on the other hund, water car- tements of property with ria system will be penalised by higher rates Can this be said to be
an encouragement to the general nitro- duction of water closets or is it not
of maintaining a low price for the three | Colony's actual surplus at the end commodities which the Chinese com of October, 1940, was more than
consider
mamity
essential for life. namely, rice, firewood and peanut oil. know from information which has been furnished me as a member of the Finance Committee that considerable steps have been taken as regards the Brat two. but it is $11 earnest hope that menc A 112 be done in the near Juture. while it 4 regards peasut of). tars 3
I suggest that it should also re- ceive consideration!
MR. T. E. PEARCE: SLACKNESS CHARGE
Sir, the few remarks I have to rather an Induritient to clink to the make merely re-echo those of my
Antiquated and
old
system
much discredited
Government has attempted to justify the use of public maney by clanning that it ia through the Use of pubite Money that drains are laid There is
colleagues.
When addressing this Council an last year's Budget, I strongly ad- yocated postponernent of a num- ber of big projects until normal conditions prevailed and the outlook was less obscure,
m920
serve to carry away storm and sullage therefore whole heartedly endorse
1+1
obvious fallacy In this argument Firstly, the draus are there whether water closets use then WI not, they water, and secandly drains alone do the remarks of the Hon. Mr. S. H. Dodwell and the Hon. Mr. A. I. not make 11 water closet system. whereas Government. cases where Shields in their expressions of the owners Of property have not satisfaction that a number of such thought fit to install water closets, wil items have ben shelved for the he assuming the whole cost of a sys- hmms being. and the expenditure Tem which takes the place of but is far
mivolved deleted from this year's Jess satisfactory than one of waler
Budget. I am certain the Unoffi- Cal Members of this Council will give generous
these support to postponed schemes, and any others which will be for the benefit of the Colony when normality re- turms and the Colony can afford the expenditure.
cariinge
Vice And Crime
I now come to a nutter which affects the good name of the Colony and with Aldeh my fellow Chinese members have asked me spretaily to deal Mans A redient. alarmed by the SETTORES prevalence of ceme and vice hins re peatedly apps nærhed us to press Gov- We ernment or more ett forte relion Cu our part have made repeated repar
1.as lo Government, Kuttetimes
+
the result of specific requests from Sanders of our community, but weesunute of 6 Millions. I share the
12 fan #4. en nur own tiative The position is now getting from bac No worse We KAAN that the Hon Cominissinner of Police 15 doing all he can: but we feel that something more must be done
$21,000,000 uf which a sum of over $18,000,000 was classified as cush This represents a and advances, very high ratio in relation to the amount of revenue from ordinary sources.
If this Colony were A cor- poration I would certainly con- gratulate those in charge of Its affairs on Its very strong finan- cial position. But as a Govern. ment it is open to criticism.
It may be criticised that either at has failed to carry out and de- velop fully its social functions or it has taken more revenue than was necessary from the people by way of taxation.
Relic Of Middle Ages
I submit, Sir, that this practice for keeping a surplus was a met- hod adopted by Governments dur- ing the Middle Ages and has long been considered as bad financial policy. It is well established in practical financial that surplus financing encourages extravagance and that there is no necessity whatever for a state to keep a surplus.
¦
administration
1
I mention this not because I wish to suggest that the estimated deficit for the next financial year should be met by drawing on this surplus as I hope that there will be no necessity to do so. But I believe that this policy of accumu- lating surplus is fundamentally With regard to the Special War wrong. I admit that the existence Budget, whilst at has been ex of a large surplus gives a certain tremely car la tory to find the degree of convenience to the ad- stim raised last year approximates ministration because it has at its
a Millions, against the original disposal, what one may call,
special fund from which it can deappointment expressed by the draw for the purpose of financing Fucancial Secretary (hat the public works. However, I veature Business Profits Tax did not bring to say that this practice of draw- in to that total more than 9 lakh... ing upon the surplus tu finance
believe this
bear
public works does not conduce to PAULO CAIE
organisation and The suppression of gambling,
mere of the burden, and feel the good financial
Careful budgetings. With a surplus cularly of "Tse Fa" lotteries, which percentage and limits for laxI- are fast becoming an open scandal, the
tion can be amended.
to fall back on there is a possi- eradication of open soliciting
the
ble temptation on the part of the streets, the placing of a check on the
administration in presenting activities of girl escort bureaux. the
annual budget to the legislature, Prevention of robbery ! larceny.
to withhold complete statement of especially petty thieving and snatching I express the hope the Commit-
tee which is to review the whoir its needs for fear that its estimates the streets form the list which we have been asked to bring to the atten- question of Taxation will not may be cut down. Another pos- Bon of Government.
otherwise change the present scalesible abuse in the use of the sur- or disturb the organisation which plus is that the administration may Arst, where one may sleep with one's front has dealt with and collected the be spending public money
before coming to the legislative; hody for approval.
נו
parti-
The stories of the existence of lands
door open and not be robbed: where one may leave a parcel in a tramcar and have it returned the next day seem to us fantastic and fill us with wonder and envy. It is sad to think that we in Hong Kong must sleep behind fron Arilles and bolted shutters and yet not be free from depredation. No one is respected, be he magistrate or police- man, be he taipan or ordinary shop- keeper. Nothing is free from Alching
As for motor cars, fountain pens and
from the pocket, or snatched in open
daylight.
No Change
Tax up to date.
An Emergency
its
I wish, Sir, to associate my- eelf with the remarks made by my colleagues in regard to the lack of administrative ability
It may be said in favour of this and slackness displayed by policy that the object of maintain- several Heads of Important ing a surplus is to have a reserve Government departments.
in case of emergency. If that was
I express the hope that inde- the intention, I think the present It may be only a plank from a stair-pendent Committees of enquiry moment is the proper time to case, 21 hook for fastening a window will soon be instituted to make make use of such surplus. A "or a
short length of wiring, the sale- close scrutiny into the running of portion of it may be set aside for able value of which is Infinitestinal these departments, and that these the cost of the proposed building though the replacement cost be high enquiries will be the means of of two ships to be presented to car rings, these are stolen, or picked correcting the grievances we are the Admiralty and War Depart- complaining of, though I have ment and the remainder can be doubts whether there can be per- used for carrying on defensive manent satisfaction, until the works in the Colony. If Govern- present system in the Service,ment were to agree to this course, which seems to discourage initia- there would be no deficit in next If all crime were the result of no-tive and ability, comes to an end. year's budget and no necessity to verty, the search for a cure. difficult though it may be is not impossible; but if a gainbler steals to get stake money and a dope fiend to satiate his desire, the matter becomes far more complex.
Complex Problem
Apart from the
MR. LI TSE-FONG: FINANCE POLICY
curtail its social services. Indeed all social services can be further expanded with revenue coming in from ordinary sources.
It is evident from the operation The Hon. Mr. Li Tse-fong, We realise the immensity of the pro- who followed said: The Hon-that the taxable ability of
of the War Revenue Ordinance *blem confronting us.
the ourable the Financial question of arrest, which is a police
Se-community is extremely good as matter, no permanent solution can be cretary in his speech on the 16th well as extremely flexible. I sub- found without taking into account the January, 1941, reviewing the fin-mit, Sir, that this ability and provision of adequate prison accommo-ancial position of the Colony flexibility of our taxation system dation, the creation of decent employ-stressed the point that although constitute the real reserve of our ment and the introduction of general the revised estimate anticipates a financial power which has stood education. The higher the ethical stand- ard of the people as a whole, the less surplus of $17,213,670 at the end the test of time remarkably well. there is of crime; and it is by going of the present financial year, this I will now pass on to make some to fundamentals that it can be hoped surplus is largely a nominal one. general remarks on the estimates for to efface all the aores with which this The Financial Secretary explain-the next financial year, The figures in ed that out of this surplus of over the estimates have been carefully con- The leavening of the masses. takes $17,000,000, a sum of $5,790,000 sidered and closely scrutinised by the time; but there is no need to remind was invested in the 1934-Dollar-1 win confine ny remarks to the gen Select Committee of this Council and Government of the urgency of the pro loan, "while by the end of next oral policy in connection with them. blem. Next to the prevention of inva year a total of over 4 million dol- Before I offer my views I wish to
Colony is beset.
lawlessness and disorder from within.
slon from without is the prevention of fars will have been advanced in state that I am in general agreement We therefore trust that Government anticipation of a future loan." with the remarks made by my Senior will undertake its Just responsibilities Granting that this statement is Chinese Colleague in regard to the and will make more serious and. more correct, it does not alter the fact War Reventle Ordinance, and Death -strenuous efforts to stamp out crime. that the estimated surplus of this Duties and his criticism on the work
We owe it to the innocent and the law Colony's assets over its liabilities. and the Immigration Department,
ing of the Food Contral, Department abiding to remove from them a con at the end of March, 1941-will Attling the Propouts for increased stant foar of and a growing concern be well over $17,000,000 although taxation for the purpose of raising fur- for lawlessness and insecurity.,
it may not consist entirely of cash. fther revenue, the Financial Secretary. Essential Commodities According to the financial state-lims suggested three alternatives which Finally I would like to draw the ayment published by Government are briefly as follows:- tention of Government to the necessity on the 5th February, 1941, the f (Continued on "Page 13)
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