1941-01-16 — Page 16

ABYSSINIAN

THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 16; 1941.

REVOLT

Bands Unite Colony's Huge War Budget

Against Italy

THE REVOLT THAT HAS

SMOULDERED

(Continued from Page 1) revised estimate which I am afraid is somewhat on the opti- must.c side is $9,700,000.

the present system under which the nightsoil is removed by free- lance

STOP coolies employed by the

householders. This

scheme is So far from local defence and sponsored by the Urban Council war expenses not aggregating and strongly recommended by my the Director more than 2 million dollars per Honourable friend annum, they have aggregated of Medical Services, who is Gov- almost 12 million in the last ernment's adviser in health mat- The Urban Council has year, due chiefly to expenditure ters. on A.R.P. and food reserves, suggerted, and Government fa- Two contributions of £100.000 vours the suggestion, that the ad- annual expenditure of been made to H.M. ditional Government bringing the total between 4 and 5 lakhs should be

sclons of one per war expenditure to 15 million dol- | met by an increase lars. 1 may add in passing that cent. on the rates.

IN ABYSSINIA EVER SINCE THE ITALIAN CONQUEST FIVE YEARS AGO IS BURSTING INTO FLAMES, AND PATRIOTIC WARRIORS, ENCOURAGED BY-NEWS THAT EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE IS ONLY A FEW MILES AWAY ACROSS THE FRONTIER, ARE RALLY-each have ING TO HIS STANDARD IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

the

Small independent bands, which hitherto this Colony is further contribut- have harried Italy's isolated garrisons, are unite against the common beginning to enemy. They are being supplied with arms and equipment, for which grateful messages have been received in Khartoum.

Now; reaching Khartoum suge; The revolt is being greatly gests the movement has been assisted by the failure of the greatly stimulated by the Em- ! Italians, in the face of sporadic peror's recent proclamation an- resistance by the inhabitants, to nouncing his determination to establish their authority outside lead the patriot army in person.

the main centres. Leaflets containing the pro- clamation

being scattered wholesair by the R.A.F.

ינן

Resistance so far has centred in the Gojjam district, near Lake Tana. in north-west Abyssinia, where the Italians long have been restricted to fortified posi- trons

Lake Tana Rising Now the Gallas of the south have asked the Gojjam leader to send

an envoy to organise resistance to the Italians their district.

in

Several chiefs in the sector east of Lake Tann (which is some 200 miles north-west of

Addis Ababa) are also reported to be up in arms against the Italians.

Even the Negro element, rulet by descendants of former kings. are fighting for the Emperor.

In large tracts of country the administration has had to be left to the Abyssinians. Reuter

TRIBESMEN SNIPE

ing £200,000 per annum for period of the war from the pro- -

while tits of its Exchange Eund,

has: almost a further £100,000 been raised in the past year by! voluntary subscription through! the War Fund inaugurated by the South China Morning Post Hong Kong Telegraph,

and

The excess of $5,300,000 on way expenses has had to be met from ordinary revenue, and to merenz that tobacco duties were raised in September.

con-

The existing unsatisfactory: arrangements are estimated to cost householders half a million dollars annually, and the pro- posal will rellove those corned of that expenditure and spread it over the community generally, which seeme only fair in so far as the Bewers provided for those whose tena. mente have flush systems have been paid for likewise from taxation by the community as a whole.

new

Provision has also been made Diseases Hos- The fax on cash sweeps has for an Infectious been doubled and postage rates pital, and a new Public Mortuary

and Disinfecting Station, Kow are about to be raised.

for a new block for the The recent increase in railway loon. charges has not been to produce Central Police Station and revenue but to offset the increas- Police Stations at Kowloon Tong and Blue Pool Read. Government of ed cost of coal, and the aim

has again felt it its duty to in- the further increase in the pe

was not to produce crease, this time to $750.000, the

Tung An official report from trol duties

but, by reducing subvention

Hospitals. Khartoum gives some idea consumption particularly in res- of the difficulties the Ita-pect of private cars, tu conserve lians are experiencing in age. With the assistance of this; Abyssinia.

IN TOWNS

more revenue,

, foreign exchange and save tanker- increased tagation t is hoped tha urdinary revenue, which has come While British patrols constantly, in well all the year, will be suf- harass them on the frontier, thou- ficient not only to meet increased sands of Abyssinian tribesmen are ordinary expenditure but also the raiding isolated outposts, attack-, war expenditure not covered by ing convoys and even sh ping at existing war taxation.

I now come to the resolution Italians in the towns with rifles

before Council "that the draft and ammunition supplied by the

estimates of expenditure for British.

1941-42 be approved." These es. timates amount In all to $62,-

Over a large area, the ita- lians have absolutely no au. (Continued from next Column..

We have a good stock of

Gentlemen's

RAINCOATS

in all sizes.

Made in England

from reliable cloths

that are rainproof but

allow- not airproof

ing a free passage of

air through the pores

of the fabric.

Many fabrics in Wool

and Cotton Gaber-

dine, also Trench

coats made by Simp-

son's of Piccadilly,

London.

INSPECTION INVITED

Wm. POWELL, Ltd.

10, Ice House Street

Printed and Published for the Proprietors, Thi Newspaper En- terprise Ltd., by GORDON CADE BURNETT, Windsor House, Victoria. Hong Kont.

to the

Middle Course

Wah

PRESS

Fourteen Americans, form- ing the first group of ambul- ance drivers financed by the "American Field Service," are leaving Rio de Janeiro to-day in the Japanese ship "Africa Maru" for South Africa. All of notable families. they include two multi-mil- lionaires.

They will serve either with the Free French or the British forces in Libya. Abyssinia or the Near East. --Reuter,

Official figures released this afternoon show that the re- vised estimate of revenue for 1940-41 is $67,000,000, an ex- cess of $16,138,530 over the original estimate. The actual Ordinary Revenue has approximately 13.7 per more than the proportionate amount of the estimate, and War Taxation has produced far more than anticipated.

been

cent.

to 15%, but i am satisfied that this would emphasize to an in- tolerable degree the inequities and - imperfections of the pre- sent compromise taxes. I have already stated that it was esti mated that the four taxes would bring in 6 million dollars per

annum.

ed?

I am afraid all of these mea- sures will not And favor with say who will

The revised estimate is $9,700,- the conservative,

advance as it 000. But how is that compos- cut this or retrench that, but if the Colony is to

Salaries Tax is estimated to should, and it still logs far behind modern standards in many res- bring in $1,000,000 as was anti- pects, it must have these ameni cipated, Property Tax $2,300,000 against $2,000,000 while Corpora- ties and if it must have them it must pay for them. The estim- tion and Business Profits should ates have already been pruned to bring in $0,400,000 against $3,000,- what must be considered an ex-000, but this figure includes not

389.776 inclusive of $12,300,274 ressive degree by idealists who tess than $5,500,000 in respect of

specifically classed as war ox- penditure.

The estimated revenue is $54,- 836,000, $45,536,000 from ordinary sources, and $9,300,000 from war taxation, leaving a deficit of $7,-

853,770.

Two Considerations

There have been two major considerations in framing the estimates, first defence. second- ly social services. Defence it is submitted must in present circumstances come first but it is also submitted that the present financial position O! this Colony social services not be allowed to lag behind, nor even to stand still, but should ad- vance so far as circumstances per- mit.

inust

nay

for condemn Government

total war to build Jerusalem with its hospitals and health centres, its colleges and schools, in Hong Kong's green and pleasant land We have tried to steer a middle

having failed in the middle of a

course

duce

certs

that

deficit to

Proflts Corporation

and only $800.000 in respect of Business. Profits, which is disappointingly small when it is remembered that business include all non-incorpor- ated firms, and also professional men who do not pay Salaries Tax.

Three Alternatives

and have followed the golden mean of practicality as against the extremes both of ultra conservatism and radical

hange. As I have already stat- We seem to be faced with three' these draft estimates Involve alternatives, first to prepetuate and deficit of 7 million dollars. The increase the existing inequity by modi- 1% increase on the rates already increasing without other referred to will. if approved, re-fication the existing rates, second

present: roughly to amend radically the 36,5000.000. How is that to be Ordinance with a view to spread- 13 ተጋ

ing its incidence more fairly over Your Excellency bas a'ready the community, third without in- signed orders increasing by ten creasing drastically the present

the per gallon

duty on standard rates to revert to pro- heavy oils to be used as fuel for per Income Tax which was ori- heavy oil road vehicles and im- ginal proposal of this Government The major items in the de- posing a duty of ten cents per in 1939, and which Government. fence budget for next year are gallon on other hydrocarbon oils has always considered to be the 4 million dollars for the com- at present untaxed which are fairest form of taxation. pletion of the programme for estimated to bring in $1,000,000 the construction of tunnels, con- ner annum, and an order further crete pens, etc., for the protec- | increasing the duties on liquor tion of the civil population which are estimated to bring in against air ́attack and $5,220.000, $650,000 per annum, for the construction of vessela to be presented to the Admiral. ty and War Department, in res- pect of which no expenditure has been incurred during the present year.

new

an

Far be it from me to seek to resuscitate a controversy that: is dead and buried, but Gov- ernment has a right to invoke the cooperation of all in find- ing the best means of meeting war expenditure which, 1 sure, everyone will agree unavoidable.

am"

la

It is proposed to increase the Entertainments Tax, to increase Estate Duty and impose a tax on table waters, and order to that effect under the Circumstances have altered con- Public Revenue Protection Or-siderably since Government ac- dinance has also been signed.

cepted with expressed reluctance There is no reason why the the recommendations of the War

of sarsaparilla

though: and Revenue Committee and

the

10-

No specific provision has been made for cash gifts to H.M. Gov- ernment as these will depend on the financial position during the consumers course of the year, but I venture lemonade should not in their de- Government does not propose to to submit that in meeting from gree contribute with the brandy repudiate that acceptance it feels, its own resources the relatively and whisky drinkers to the up-in view of the change in large local defence programme keep of the Colony. The amend- financial positioh and the situa- undertaken under Your Excel-ed Entertainments tax should pro- tion disclosed by the actual lency's direction this Colony has duce an additional $300,000 per ceipts from the four war taxes.. made, a definite. contribution to annum, the table waters tax that the principles on which the the defence of the Empire.

$300,000, and the increased Estate taxation is based should be re- Regarding social services it is Duty $600,000. Our prospective considered. I am accordingly au- my firm belief that economic de- deficit is, therefore, reduced to thorised by Your Excellency to vélopment must precede and be roughly 311⁄2 million dollars, state that you propose to recon- the basis of social welfare and though I must emphasize that all stitute the War Revenue Commit- these draft estimates include pro- these calculations of revenue pre-tee and to refer the matter to it vision for a Fisheries Research suppose a continuation of the pro- for re-examination and advice, Station, and an Experimental sperity of the Colony.

I venture in passing to invite Agricultural Station in the New Territories.

It appears to me that there re- the attention of Honourable Mem- · mains one way only to meet the bers to the fact that expenditure The draft: estimates also in- remaining deficit which represents on the War Taxation Department clude provision for the daily col roughly the excess of war exitself both this year and next has lection of nightspil from the penditure over war revenue and, been and will be kept consider- tenements in the urban area by that is by increasing the war ably lower than the original esti- labour directly employed by the taxation. Although the War Re- mate. Sanitary Department in place of venue Ordinance his secured con- It only remains for me to udd

siderably more revenue than was that the detailed preparation of: anticipated it has failed to se- the estimates of expenditure has cure enough to meet the revised been in the competent hands of war expenditures either in the Mr. Todd, who has also been re- current year or in 1941-42.

sponsible for the preparation of the memorandum which accom- which panies it,

thority and their control is chiefly confined to towns and the main roads, and, even this is not always the case. The R.A.F, raids are a prest en- couragement to the tribesmen particularly in helping theni – ta persuade those of their country-ac men 'enlisted in the Italian forces to desert.

Reuter

The simplest way," and must confess, the way

WEATHER FORECAST:

North freshi