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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
tobacco, all cigars will be at the same rate, all cigarettes at the same rate and all other manufactured tobacco at the same rate, the amount being $1.50 per pound for cigars, 75 cents for cigarettes and 75 cents for other manufactured tobacco. The same clause- clause 7-provides for the temporary problem of tobacco which is already in the Colony and which will now have to pay duty immediately. Under the old system that tobacco, of course, would not pay duty until it was manufactured and taken out of the manufacturer's bonded premises, but that tobacco will now, under the new system, have to pay duty immediately. The method that has been adopted in this Bill to ascertain the duty is to give the Superin- tendent authority to estimate the amount of tobacco on the manu- facturer's premises, and to classify it as manufactured or unmanu- factured. In the case of manufactured tobacco he will also estimate the weight of unmanufactured tobacco from which the manufac- tured tobacco was produced, and the duty is payable on the weight so estimated. No doubt he will arrive at this estimate in consul- tation with the persons who will pay the duty, and though perhaps the provisions seem a little arbitrary, I think they are the only possible ones in the circumstances. I do not think in practice there will be found any cause for complaint.
on
The alteration of the system of taxation to taxation entering into the Colony, involves, of course, the provision of rebates or drawbacks on exportation. The Bill contains provisions to enable drawbacks to be paid, and regulations have The Bill was already been made under the Bill for this purpose. brought into force on the evening of the 13th of February by an order by you, Sir, made under the Public Revenue Protection Ordinance, 1927. That Ordinance was passed to enable alterations of taxation to be made quickly and without undue publicity, because it is obvious that when a tax is altered it is possible sometimes for persons, if they have notice, to avoid the new tax by clearances from bond and other- wise. That Ordinance recognises the desirability of making changes in the revenue quickly and secretly. Of course, that order will cease to be effective when this Bill becomes law, and the same provisions that are now in force under your order will then be in force under this Bill as an Ordinance.
The Bill contains other provisions which I think are either consequential to the main objects of the Bill or on minor points. I beg to move the reading.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the Bill was read a first time.
Objects and Reasons.
The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated follows:-
as
1. This Ordinance will effect certain amendments in the Tobacco Ordinance, 1916, which are recommended by the Superin- tendent of Imports and Exports.
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