C. 82756/31 [No. 1].
PROOF.
No.
HONG KONG.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Confidential.)
MY LORD,
(Received 5th January, 1931.)
Government House, Hong Kong, 11th December, 1930.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Lordship's despatch, Confidential, of the 26th July, 1930,* dealing with the subject of the military contribution payable by this Government, and note that Your Lordship is unable to agree to the proposal that an entirely new basis of assessment, viz., a percentage of the annual rateable valuation of the Colony, should be adopted in the place of the present basis of a percentage (20 per cent.) of annual revenue.
2. In reply to paragraph 4 of that despatch, I forward for Your Lordship's information a memorandum which has been drawn up by Mr. Taylor, Deputy Treasurer of the Colony. I would draw particular attention to the final paragraph of this memorandum dealing with the question of the capital expenditure on waterworks, which have been financed out of the current revenue of the Colony.
3. I am in accord with the representations contained in the memorandum, and shall be glad if they may receive the consideration of His Majesty's Government.
I have, &c.,
W. PEEL,
Governor, &c.
Enclosure in No.
MEMORANDUM REGARDING EXEMPTION FROM MILITARY CONtribution of CERTAIN ITEMS OF REVENUE AND REGARDING THE PERCENTAGE ALLOWANCE ON CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON PRODUCTIVE UNDERTAKINGS.
A. Wireless Telegraphy.
Capital Expenditure.-I attach detailed statements showing the capital outlay on wireless telegraphy since its inception in 1915. These figures have been taken from the Treasury books and are shown in the final Treasury accounts for the years in question.
The following is a summary :-
Year.
$
1915
55,506
1916
14,092
1917
8,300
1918
569
1919
3,340
1920
1921
521
1922
4.909
1923
28,228
1924
18,138
1925
149,818
1926
13,975
1927
5,985
1928
62,214
1929
98,703
$464,298
The percentage allowance authorized by Section 3 of the Defence Contribution Ordinance No. 1 of 1901 on productive undertakings is at the rate of 4 per cent. on
* No. C. 72856/30 [No. 4].
Straits Defence Con.-Gp. 6. 131/2963.
24. 8/34. (18278) M. & S. Ltd.
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