1939-11-09 — Page 10

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"How's that?”

“Excellent! It's White Horse-

I could tell it blindfold.”

No other whisky combines so rare a fragrance with such mellow smoothness; no other is quite so soft, so round, so genial. Perfect blending and slow maturing have made White Horse Whisky the equal of a fine liqueur.

The millions of gallons of finest Scotch whisky matured and maturing ensure that the quality of White Horse never varies.

WHITE HORSE

WHISKY

Sole Agents for South China: JARDINE MATHESON AND COMPANY LTD.

"HEATH" NIGHT GLASSES

have unequalled light-gathering powers.

GEORGE FALCONER & CO., LTD.

PEDDER STREET,

EAT AT

TELEPHONE 22143.

Jimmy's Kitchen

INEXPENSIVE SATISFYING

Bringing Up Father

CARLING-DO BE CAREFUL REMEMBER- YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN

BEFORE-

HAVE NO FEAR - MY LOVE-

I HAD AN UNCLE THAT WORKED IN A BIG SKI FACTORY -I KNOW THAT I MUST INHERIT THE SKILL-

I'M SO GLAD

YOU LIKE

IT HERË IN

SUN VALLEY-

ON SKID

THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 9, 1939

7

INCOME TAX DEBATE

(Continued from Page 1) - traordinary for 1940-41, namely, item 11, 14, 15, 19, 21, 22 and 23, is over three million three hundred thousand dollars, whereas the amounts now be- ing voted for commencing those works total no more than two hundred and Afteen thousand dollars. The big dif- ference between the above amounts will have to be made up by the tax payer in future Budgets unless we are to leave those Works in a state of sus- pended animation for the wholly un- known and uncertain duration of the

war.

(3) In his speech in this Council on the Budget, on the 12th October, the Honourable the Financial Secretary said:-

opposed to Income Tax.

CHINESE MENTALITY Anybody who understands the men- tality of the Chinese must realise that such a measure as income tax would be likely to cause the flight of capita from this Colony and to prevent new remittances from being made to Hong Kong and also that it would probably deter new factories and enterprises from starting here.

In connection with this latter point I may mention that I have been in- formed recently that certain Chinese, who had intended to start steelworks in this Colony, have, since income tax was mooted, abandoned the idea.

Other objections to income tax are that it would involve the trouble "In preparing the final draft a and expense of having numerous Chi- number of items of new expenditure nese account books translated into which it had originally been desired to English, and that its collection would include were deleted in order to avoid involve the employment, at consider- budgeting for any substantial deficitable public cost, of a large staff of in the uncertain circumstances which new Government officials, and that the lie before us."

Chinese have strong objections to their private, family, and business affairs being pried into.

AN ADMISSION That statement of the Financial Secretary I regard as an important COST OF ADMINISTRATION admission that certain desirable items In the Taxation Committee's Re- of expenditure were excluded from port mention is made of the probable the Budget because of the "uncertain cost to Government of administration circumstances which lie before us," of income tax, but no consideration and nobody who is acquainted with seems to have been given to the ad- the circumstances of Hong Kong will ditional cost of book-keeping, records, dispute that there are many other legal advice, chartered accountant's public works which we would like to fees, etc., that will have to be borne have carried out if finances permit-by any business in order to comply ted. This seems to me a very strong with the requirements of the Tax. argument not only against our send- We have been told that income tax ing home as a War Gift a sum of more is enforced in Ceylon, but, with all than three million dollars but also a due deference, that fact is wholly ir- very strong argument against the im-relevant, as conditions there are so position of a tax like income tax, entirely different from those existing which will seriously upset Chinese in this Colony. capitalists and industrialists in this Colony.

VISIT TO KWONG WAH A few days ago I visited the Kwong Wah Hospital and found that it was badly overcrowded, with, in some cases, two patients occupying the same bed. Also I found over 200 patients quartered in four matsheds in the grounds, who are exposed to serious danger in case of fire.

In these circumstances it is obvious that more hospital accommodation for several hundred patients ought to be built as soon as possible, involving a probable expenditure of about two million dollars.

I fear that Your Excellency, in your desire for this Colony to make a con- tribution towards the War Gift to the Imperial Government, has not quite appreciated those serious objections to income tax which I have indicat- ed and which will no doubt be stress- ed by other Unofficial Members. It is hoped, however, that Your Excellency who, in the course of your two years' administration of this Colony, has earned the thoroughly well-deserved reputation of being able to consider

every side of a question, will, with the same impartiality, consider the argu- ments which are now being urged against the imposition of income tax, together with the suggestion that al-

COMMITTEE'S TASK

I am confident that Your Excellency, ternative taxes be imposed. who has Public Health matters in this Colony so much at heart, will agree that this is a responsibility which rests upon the Government and that these new hospital buildings ought to be erected as soon as possible.

not

Your Excellency has recently ap- pointed a Committee to go into de- tails of the Income Tax Bill proposed by Government, and I understand that, I now pass on to the main theme of in that letter of appointment, it was my speech, which is that, for the pur-stated that Government was "willing consideration to alter- pose of making a gift to the Imperial to give full

of raising revenue?” Government, other taxes which would native methods

I have been informed, however, by involve the risk of injuring the trade and prosperity of this Co- the Government, that that remark does lony ought to be substituted for in-not mean that the members of that particular Committee are to be at come tax.

alternative liberty to suggest any methods of taxation. venture to suggest that Your Excel- Accordingly I lency should now appoint a Committee for the purpose of considering alter- native methods to income tax for raising revenue for the War Gift to the Imperial Government.

BUSINESS ATTITUDE

On that

In the opinion of responsible busi- ness men of this Colony the imposition of income tax would be a disastrous form of taxation to adopt, for it is the unanimous opinion of the Committee of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, and of the Committee and Members of the Chinese Chamber Committee I should be glad, if соп- of Commerce, that they are not in fav-sidered eligible, to serve. our of the institution of income tax In this Colony,

My Unofficial colleagues on this Council are unanimously opposite to income tax.

I confess that I find it very difficult to understand what justification the Government has for proceeding with the consideration of an income tax bill in view of the fact that those Brí- tish and Chinese Experts have unani- mously expressed themselves as being"

ALTERNATIVES

That Committee would no doubt be able to recommend many suitable al- ternatives to income tax. In the mean- while I suggest some possible alter- native methods of taxation, which have the merit of being easily col- lected, at small expense, and also of being widely spread, such as:-

A percentage on every electric light

and power bill.

(Continued on Page 11)

By George McManus

OH-DEAR-IT IS MIDNIGHT AND

MY DARLING ISN'T HOME YET I SHOULD NEVER HAVE LET HIM PUT' ON THOSE SKIS-

HE MAY BE BURIED IN' A SNOW. DRIFT- WHAT WILL WE DOP

KEEP ON CRYIN'- IT'S

A BIO HELP TO

HIM-

JOVE - IT'S DOWNE IN THIS

(Cher 1939, Kina Feitura Eradicato. Inc.

10.6