Appendix "0",
79
12.
Your Petitioners particularly desire again to call attention to the extremely low assessed rates charged in the
Colony.
The maximum assessed rate now charged is 17 per cent, which is equivalent to a rate of 3s. 44d. in the £ in
England.
We append, for purposes of reference and comparison,
a table showing average, highest and lowest rates in English County Boroughs, Boroughs, Metropolitan Boroughs and Urban
District Councils.
It will be observed that there is no place enjoying freedom from rates comparable with Hong Kong, and that even in the lowest rated County Borough the rates are double those payable in the City of Victoria in this Colony.
13.
The estimated additional cost which would be
involved by paying the sterling salaries at a Treasury rate of
#1
1 = 1/- instead of one half at that rate and one half at the fictitious rate of $1 = 1/6d. is (allowing for one sixth of the officers being on leave) $1,300,000.
An increase of 1 in the assessed rates is estimated
to bring in approximately $354,000.
An increase of 5 would therefore bring in a sum of 1,770,000 which, while more than covering the amount required and the Defence Contribution to be levied on the additional revenue, would still bring the rates only to 22%, or the equivalent of a rate of 50. in the £.-, as compared with 35% or 7/- in the £ for the lowest rated Borough in England.
14.
Having regard to the Colony's marked freedom from other forms of taxation, it is respectfully submitted that while the assessed rates are retained at their present low level it cannot seriously be contended that the Colony feels the weight of taxation, or that more might not have been done to raise the revenue requisite for the performance of that act
6.
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