COFY
No.938/1939.
sir,
22
10:
Colonial Secretary's Office,
Hong Kong.
28th. February, 1939.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
30th. January, 1939, forwarding a petition addressed to His Excellency
the Governor in Council on the subject of the assessment of a building
at 177-179 Wanchai Road.
2.
This is not a matter in which an appeal lies to that authority
and the proper course to be pursued by "any person who is aggrieved by
an interim valuation" is clearly laid down in section 28 of the Rating
Crdinance, No.6 of 1301. As the prescribed time limit for such action
has new elapsed your only remedy is to await the 1939 Assessment.
3.
Your attention to this precedure was expressly drawn in a
similar case in 1937, and in particular in my letter No.3889/1933 of
25th. March, 1937.
4.
In view of the adequate remedies provided by the existing law
in the matter of disputes about assessments the Government is not
prepared to consider your suggestion of a special Board to undertake
the duties now prescribed for the Supreme Court in Summary Jurisdiction.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(sd) B. Hawkins
p. Colonial Secretary.
Ip Kwai Chung, Esq.
Haw Par Brothers, Ltd.,
26, Bonham Strand East,
Hong Kong.