;
1
61
Your Memorialists, in addition to objecting to the imposition of a Stamp tax as being in principle wrong, even for providing for a temporary deficit, do most solemnly and earnestly protest against the even more injurious policy, declared in Your Excellency's letter, of seizing the opportunity, of there being an alleged need of money, for a purely temporary and transitory purpose, to impose upon the Colony, and its trade, a yearly additional tax of $120,000, being equal to one seventh of the present annual Revenue.
The only argument Your Memorialists have heard in favour of taxation in this manner, is, that it is not politically expedient to derive all Revenue from one or more specific sources, but if this be true as an abstract proposition of political economy, surely the fact that, since the existence of the Colony, the Legislature have followed this course without even demur on the part of those taxed, is sufficient to shew, that Hongkong, in its circumstances, is in an exceptional position, and must be dealt with as the position requires, and not in the manner required by any abstract dogma or theory.
There are many other objections to the imposition of any Stamp tax, partly to the principle, and partly to the operation, of such a measure, on which Your Memorialists will not dilate, but they may point out, as instances, the severity and stringency of the provisions punishing breaches of the Ordinance, the difficulty and cost of collection, and almost certain evasion of it by such of the Chinese as retain here, its vexatious intricacy, and its inequality, in leaving untaxed a large body of Residents who, if not individually wealthy, are wealthy as classes or interests, and who ought to contribute to these local requirements.
Your Memorialists in conclusion beg to express their conviction that though this is a Crown Colony, and they can be taxed by an Order in Council, or an express Order from the Government to the Governor here to levy a tax, or raise a subsidy, yet when, in compliance with the Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, and the whole previous course of practice here, the Council, as such, are asked to pass, or reject, a measure involving the mere mode of raising the requisite sums, Your Memorialists are then entitled to have their ideas on that subject received through the recognized medium, the Non-Official Members of the Council, and as their remonstrances were of no avail, they conceive themselves further entitled to bring before the Government the strong opinions they entertain on the matter, and firmly, though respectfully, to urge Your Excellency to a reconsideration of what is, at best, a mere question of expediency, affecting their interests only, and upon which they ought to be considered, if not the best judges, at least as the best exponents of the balance of benefit or prejudice that may result from the measure.
Your Memorialists therefore humbly beg Your Excellency to reconsider the question, to defer such portion of the Expenditure as is not of immediate or vital import to the Colony to a more auspicious period; to raise any Sums that may be presently needed by some other, and less hurtful method, and to postpone indefinitely the further consideration of any Stamp Tax or at least until all other available and usual sources of taxation have been exhausted.
And Your Memorialists will ever pray:
B. W. Gutton
E. F. da Silva
SIGNATURES.
Jardine Matheson & Co.
H. Murray
W. Hastings.
W. Kirby.
Chas Livington,
A. C. Sandilara.
Peter G. Innes.
H. G. James.
Augustine Heard & Co.
J. Dossett.
Lewis P. Thomas.
Olyphant & Co.
... Koze.
Smith Archer & Co.
Alexander Ross.
J. Stirton.
Bosman & Co.
C. H. Barrow.
Burley & Co.
P. F. Cama & Co
Ghose & Co.
William Paske.
Charles Denne.
A. M. Gillies.
J. A. Costa.
Hajau, Habener & Co.
A. Brajau.
C. Booth.
Fred. Claus.
Reynolds & Co.
Jas Bowditch.
J. A. Rosario.
V. Kresse.
C. Moodie.
J. Ruith.
J. Jackson.
E. R. Smith.
L. Mackintosh.
E. Asthan.
Robert Gold.
J. A. Taylor.
H. Nelson.
H. Jorge.
Siemssen & Co.
F. Hohocker.
P. G. Jube.
H. Kook
P. Gabrial.
H. Hopping.
B. Werdich.
A Von Leesen.
Lyall Still & Co.
Alfred S. Post
R. Lyall
G. E. Stokes.
K. C. Smith.
C. F. d' Ozorio.
T. Schroeder.
T. Marwig.
Francis Chomley.
Dent & Co.
E. Overbeck,
J. T. Kindersley.
Duncan Davidson.
A. J. Else
T. B. Endicott,
The Hogg & Co.
Win. C. Morvina,
L. P. Ward
Severs & Co.
Reynaad Brothers,
Holiday, Wise & Co.
Howard Hodges.
J. S. Coughlan.
T. C. Adames.
W. S. Foster.
Peterson Brothers.
T. G. Dettmar.
T. Bauson.
J. C. Welbread.
Broadbent Antony & Co.
John Burd & Co.
M. Porissen,
B. Jensen,
Bart
D. Ruttonjee. Keis & Co.
William Morgan.
A. Kenealy.
A. Hay Anderson.
James H. Cox
M. M Walker
E. Figgin
James Greig,
H. M. Davidhan.
A. Newton.
Gilford F. Parker,
N. Mody & Co.
George, K. Gleivius.
F. J. Beynolds,
T. Major.
Jul. Baker.
G. P. Thomson.
Ed. Norton.
Crawford D. Kerr.
Carlowitz & Co.
David Welch. William Keene. Oxford & Co.
Arthur J. Kast.
Charles L. Wocks.
Richard Deacon,
J. McDouall
D. Sassoon, Sons & Co.
J. Cameron.
J. J. Elias.
Russell & Co.
W. H. Koster.
E. D. Barbour,
Emil Vogel.
Chas. A. Loret
Clas. A. Gilson:
John W. Terry.
C. A. Endiarrez.
Smith Kennedy & Co.
Vaucher & Co.
E. Heard.
Bowen, fl
Borneo Co. Limited.
George Christie.
H. Nichol.
De Silver & Co.
H. de Silver.
E. Mullish.
S. W. Baker & Co.
A. Shao.
J. B. Miller.
Alfred L. Turner.
J. M. Matsou
G. C. Scott.
F. J. Barros.
C. M. Carvalho.
Charles T. Gaupp & Co
H. Hollman.
Hease & Co.
H. Kirchhof
J. Hauschild.
Francis Cowan & Co.
Silveira & Co.
W. A. Middleton.
A. Uhlmann.
W. G. Couns.
C. Bongs & Co.
Talbot & Co.
F. Blackwood & Co.
Thomas Algar,
K. Rapp
C. Schmidt.
Adam Scott & Co.
H. Johnston.
C. Tuddi,
John Craig.
J. P. Caps.
Nico. Withers
J. Edutee.
C. Bastonjes. Thomas Callis
Charles D. Weeks.
D. L. Wadia.
J. F. Catois
W. R. Baltic.
W. Kaye.
W. T. Peda. Phillips,
Moore & Co. Charles C. Cohen. M. Moore.
B. Waller & Co.
Bhua Brothers & Co.
E. Garetta.
L. Lyon.
Fursatjee Nusserwanjee & Co.
Eugene Sequeira
Gibb, Livingston & Co.
Johnson & Co.
Turner & Co,
A. Melwood.
Wm. C. Gomm.
H. S. Innes.
Hobart Lambert
T. B. Slatter.
A. Einhorn. A Scott.
Thomas C. Russell
J. H. lton.
J. Smith
J. McEwen & Co.
F. L. D. Sullivan.
Lane, Crawford & Co.
T. Willardez.
Widium Punchiappu,
Charles Jameson,
J. B. Toppin,
J. Fairbairn.
John L. Cox.
R. Cathcart.
M. G. de Souza.
Bonario & Co.
William T. Arney.
H. Ralph.
Dwyer & Co.
Kaehner Roy & Co.
Francisco A. Gomes.
Douglas Lapnik, & Co.
Josiah E. Munger,
J. B. Abbott.
E. Slate.
William H. Nolles.
J. Mantlehoy
J. D. Woodford.
L. C. da Silva.
Ray & Co.
A. Joinfo
C. H. C. Lammerts,
Clare Latteiner. Otto Fridrich. George Whitehouse. A. Conill, Edward Rogers. W. S. Riddell.
H. Kaiser.
J. Jackson, Jr,
J. Stone.
George A. Weller.
W. Hunter.
Edward H. Pollard,
H. C. Caldwell.
J. S. Betts Jr.
J. Pouth.
A. Percy Smith.
Bennett & Co. James Gardiner.
D. Klukeo.
17
Alfred T. Munger.
A. F. dos Remedios.
M. de Sousa
John Lapreik, 905. H. K.
W. D. C.
George S. Minta, manager H. K. &
W. D. Co.
Charles Mentozk.
J. D. Starkey.
Kawlins, Melon & Co.
William Gaskell
John J. Francis.
S. J. S. Magniac
Edward J. Sugg. John Patten.
A. Boyer.
J. F. Collage.
L. Thevenin.
Fawogel & Co.
A. Bleecker.
John J. Pewive
(Falconer & Co.
J. Noble.
A. W. Smith.
B. E. Baker.
A. Harday. Aspinall & Co.
Friedstein & Co.
C. G. Oldham.
Camajee & Co.
J. M. Gonzales,
J. W. Hagsten.
K. Backer.
Baynal & Co.
George Holmes & Co.
J. Marico & Co.
B. D. Rustomjee.
G. F. Ebrahim.
Nowrojee Horsabhoy.
F. B. Cama & Co
M. Laljee
Diorabhoy Poonjabhoy.
J. Hothboy.
A. Sapoorjee,
E. N. Usibio.
A. Buliboi.
C. P. Charter.
William Wetherall,
H. F. Allymah.
W. F. Dwijal.
J. Seare.
E. Littlay.
J. Whistler
C. A. Spring
H. Nusserwanjee & Co.
H. A. Shethjee & Co.
Fazal M. Dundy.
T. D. Badabhoy & Co.
H. M. Patel.
Narmonjee & Co.
B. Y. Guzder.
B. Damodardas.
J. Nuthoo.
L. Rissam.
B. Ahadcolally:
Jairam Manjee & Co.
P. Estanho
M. M. Moren
Abdoolally, Ebrahim & Co.
A. Alexander.
F. V. H. Eduljee & Co.
N. Abdoolally.
H. H. Oozeer.
Mohanbhai
Vaurynsey & Co.
M. D. Handy & Co.
M. Bomonji.
D. Vursajee & Co.
A. Teetuji.
P. & A. C. Canjee & Co.
Cowasjee Pullan & Co.
B. Rustomjee.
Judah & Co.
Jeshna & Co.