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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
allowed to run to waste. I understand from the Hon, Director of Public Works, to whom I have spoken on this matter, that that may possibly be due to the fact that the Government is cleaning up the silt at the bottom of the Reservoir, but I do submit that it is very wasteful at the present time when we have a considerable overflow to allow it to run to waste. I venture to urge the Govern- ment that as we are something like fourteen inches of rain below the average that this is a very wasteful policy to pursue and I strongly urge that the Government stop the cleaning out of the bottom of the Paper Mill, and that the water which overflows from the Aberdeen Reservoir be left in the Paper Mill Reservoir and impounded instead of wasted.
THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: It is anticipated that the quantity of silt to be removed from the lower Reservoir will be completed within the next week or two after which the lower Reservoir will be used for impounding water. If we have heavy rains in the meantime we shall close down our works and make use of the rainfall from the catchment area.
The resolution was agreed to.
BETTING DUTY AMENDMENT ORDINANCE, 1933.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill intituled, "An Ordinance to amend the Betting Duty Ordinance, 1931." He said:-The object of this Bill is firstly to reduce the duty on totalisator and pari mutuel bets from 3 to 21⁄2 per cent., and secondly to add eight words at the end of the long title.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded and the Bill was read a first time.
Objects and Reasons.
The "Objects and Reasons" for the Bill were stated as follows:-
1. Section 2 of this Ordinance adds, at the suggestion of the Secretary of State in his despatch of the 26th February, 1932, eight words to the long title of the principal Ordinance, No. 40 of 1931.
2. The existing long title expresses the primary object of the principal Ordinance, which was to make provision for the taxation of bets on authorised totalisators or pari-mutuels and on contribu- tions or subscriptions towards authorised cashsweeps; but to effect that purpose section 9 of the principal Ordinance contained provi- sions amending the Gambling Ordinance.
3. Section 3 reduces from three per cent, to two and a half per cent. the duty on totalisator or pari-mutuel bets authorised under the principal Ordinance.
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