E 5
Several liquor shops which were closely investigated could not prove how they made enough profit by the sale of spirit which they admitted even to pay for their licence fee. All these shops must have been selling more than twice as much as they stated, and must have had a secret source from which to draw spirit which had never paid duty.
6. European Liquor.-European Liquor unexpectedly showed an increase of $18,000, divided evenly over all categories except beer.
(b) Very little bogus Hennessy brandy was met with.
7. Legislation.-A partial amendment of the Liquors Consolidation Ordinance of 1911 became law in December, but it was not found possible to proceed with the complete revision which was drafted early in 1925.
The chief points dealt with were:-
(a) The method of assessing duty on the output of Distilleries. The Imperial Spirits Act of 1880 was adopted as closely as local conditions permitted, while the actual method of payment of duty by distilleries was not altered.
(b) The penalties, which had been adequate only for technical offences against the original Licensing Ordinance, were raised to a scale similar to that laid down in other Revenue Ordinances.
II. TOBACCO.
1. The net duty collected showed an increase of $319,986.07 which must be accounted very satisfactory in a year notable for general trade depression. The reason must be ascribed in the main to the alteration in the methods of collecting duty on local manufactures, as mentioned below. This new method was put into force when the local factories opened after the Chinese New Year holidays, thus the new system was in force for about 10 months only.
(b) The introduction of the new method of taxation caused some apprehension amongst those local factories which manufactured for export, and threats were made that factories would move to Macau. All have now found that the new system is perfectly fair and workable, and does not affect exports adversely. The only factory which actually transferred its export business to its Macau branch has now found that it is quite feasible to manufacture for export here, and has recommenced manufacture for export on a large scale. The introduction of the new system after the New Year holidays conduced greatly to the smooth introduction of the innovation, as factories were cleared of all manufactured goods before the holidays.
E 5
Several liquor shops which were closely investigated could not prove how they made enough profit by the sale of spirit which they admitted even to pay for their licence fee. All these shops must have been selling more than twice as much as they stated, and must have had a secret source from which to draw spirit which had never paid duty.
6. European Liquor.-European Liquor unexpectedly show- ed an increase of $18,000, divided evenly over all categories except beer.
(b) Very little bogus Hennessy brandy was met with.
7. Legislation.-A partial amendment of the Liquors Con- solidation Ordinance of 1911 became law in December, but it was not found possible to proceed with the complete revision which was drafted early in 1925.
The chief points dealt with were:-
(a) The method of assessing duty on the output of Distil- leries. The Imperial Spirits Act of 1880 was adopted as closely as local conditions permitted, while the actual method of pay ment of duty by distilleries was not altered.
(b) The penalties, which had been adequate only for technical offences against the original Licensing Ordinance, were raised to a scale similar to that laid down in other Revenue Ordinances.
II. TOBACCO.
1. The net duty collected showed an increase of $319,986.07 which must be accounted very satisfactory in a year notable for general trade depression. The reason must be ascribed in the main to the alteration in the methods of collecting duty on local manufactures, as mentioned below. This new method was put into force when the local factories opened after the Chinese New Year holidays, thus the new system was in force for about 10 months only.
(b) The introduction of the new method of taxation caused some apprehension amongst those local factories which manu- factured for export, and threats were made that factories would move to Macau. All have now found that the new system is perfectly fair and workable, and does not affect exports adver selv. The only factory which actually transferred its export business to its Macau branch has now found that it is quite feasible to manufacture for export here, and has recommenced manufacture for export on a large scale. The introduction of the new system after the New Year holidays conduced greatly to the smooth introduction of the innovation, as factories were cleared of all manufactured goods before the holidays.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.