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is comparatively high, it covers trading in to and from any Chinese Ports and an unlimited number of visits over a period of four months, and therefore affords a proportionately reasonable charge per call for regular shipping. will be observed from the figures supplied by the Canadian
Although it Pacific Steamships Ltd. that an ocean steamer calling infre- quently at only one port in China pays considerably more in tonnage dues at that port than in light dues at Hong Kong, it should be borne in mind that the payment of Chinese tonnage dues conveys the right to an unrestricted number of calls at any other Chinese port without further payment, and that such tonnage dues cover the extensive service of Lights maintained on the China coast.
7. At Japanese ports and at Victoria B.C. three payments per annum cover any number of calls during the year, and at V Vancouver five payments per annum cover any number of calls during the year.
8. The Committee of this Chamber desires to stress the vital necessity of charges on shipping at Hong Kong being kept as low as possible, and in this connection would refer to His Excellency the Governor's remarks in the Legislative Council on 20th October 1930, when His Excellency expressed his appre- ciation of the undesirability of burdening shipping in a port such as Hong Kong and left the way open for reconsideration of taxation of this nature.
9. The Committee of this Chamber desire to submit that existing conditions warrant (a) a reduction in the present scale of light dues; and (b) the introduction of the system of a compounded fee to cover the calls of regular traders over an extended period, as is done elsewhere, and requests Govern- ment to give favourable consideration to these submissions.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Sgd.) M.F.Key,
Secretary.