29
The L. C.os sinted to mis that
that
equitable that all Colonial Governments
which are financially in a position to do
so should contribute in proportion to their
means towards the cost of their military
garrisons. In the case of Hong Kong the
contribution to be made has been fixed
for many years past at an amount equal to
the cost of the military garrison or 20%
of the "assessable revenue", whichever is
less. That percentage was fixed in the
light of the discussions of the Haliburton
Committee and of revenue conditions at the
time. In spite of occasional anomalies
it is not unsatisfactory as an index of
the means of the Colony. The exemption
from assessment for contribution of any
items of revenue which were taken into
account in reaching this figure would
protanto disturb the proportion between
means and contribution then judged, after
careful consideration, to be equitable,
and it would accordingly be necessary to restore the proportion by a corresponding increase in the percentage, if such
exemptions were allowed. On the other
hand since the deliberations of the
Haliburton Committee, the sphere of
governmental activities in Hong Kong
I am the and to reforation & be any and the to their Lordships that it may equally of "Assisen bes to build tid as there whoa Clemens reducid only by the exemptions allowed at the time the late report them the same relation no longer zubist, between addit abh revenue of general put, and as subsisted at
pa
has been considerably enlarged, and it is,
therefore, for consideration whether it
might not be equitable to exempt from
assessment for contribution certain items
of revenue which represent the gross
the time where the receipts of quasi-industrial undertakings
penean tage was fixed.
which