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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
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The only objection to this scheme is the obvious injustice to those whose salaries are not excessive. But such injustice, which is of course intensified in the proposed temporary levy, is unavoidable until the salaries have been revised. It may be urged that the proposed levy is designed to aid our straitened finances to the extent of some $1,140,000 odd this year, and that therefore a mild proposal for benefitting revenue to the extent of only about six and a half lakhs must be impracticable by reason of its very mildness. But I venture to point out that, as I understand it, the levy proposals were enunciated on the basis that 1936 would commence with a deficit of one million dollars, and that the surpluses at the end of 1936 would be reduced to just over eight million dollars. Since 1935 happily ended, not with a deficit of $1,000,000 but with a credit balance of nearly $140,000 (the exact figure being $138,913.27), the absence of any contribution from salary cuts would not upset the financial status quo as envisaged by the author of the levy proposals.
My proposal has at least the merit of being an attempt, however feeble, to deal seriously with this problem, and from the point of view of the public it has this attraction, namely, that during the temporary period of the Government's proposed levy, whatever it may be one, two or even three years-the surplus could be resorted to, equally as a temporary measure, for the purpose of making up the difference between the amount which the Government levy would have produced, and that saved under my scheme, and thereafter the annual five per cent. reduction could be earmarked for repaying, and building up, the surpluses.
From the point of view of the Civil Servants, it cannot be seriously suggested that a permanent reduction of such a small percentage involves any substantial hardship; on the contrary I do not see why the Civil Servants should not gladly accept this sacrifice as their contribution to the solution of a very important and complicated problem.
Frankly, I do not like the proposed levy, for the reasons I have endeavoured to set out, but unless and until Government can place before us some other acceptable solution of the salary question, I feel that I cannot do otherwise than to vote for this Bill.
I need hardly add that the views I have ventured to express are entirely my own, for which none of my unofficial colleagues is responsible. (Applause).
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.-With Your Excellency's per- mission I should like to comment briefly on some of the points raised by Honourable Members who have spoken on this Bill.
The Honourable the Senior Unofficial Member has suggested four measures which he considers would effect considerable economies.
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