1941-02-20 — Page 41

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THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 20, 1941.

"ULTRA-CONSERVATISM"

few major industries, next to no mineral wealth and a total ab- sence of precious metals, is no

partmental collection, he will be faced with the task of laying a complaint be

ment against one of his subordinate fore the head of a Government depart officers, a totally different proposition.

It appears to me that there is some confusion in thought as regards the While improved trans- issues involved. port or improved buckets would repre- sent an improvement in the method of

status of the coolie is collection and will be beneficial,

unimportant and is not A condition change in the

the

precedent to the setting up of adequate supervision.

(Continued from Page 8) Financial Secretary himself relics, the proportion for twelve months mean effort.

$45,840,000,

We have been criticised for the would be

This

of amount, although

lakhs unfair incidence in our form three larger. would seem at first glance taxation. There are few of us who out do not admit that there are faults to approximate and to bear

in every system. the estimate of $45,536,000, which as there are has been given as the prospective | Nevertheless, while others are still Ordinary Revenue for the coming in the process of deliberation and twelve months commencing from searching for an ideal, Hong Kong the 1st April, 1941, and ending has for over a year been fulfiling

As an alternative and a inore satis on the 31st March. 1942; but it its obligations.

that the It is regrettable that reference factory solution, my colleagues and 1 must be remembered tofmer gure of $45,840,000 based has been made to this subject and submit that the Urban Coutell should on the revenue for the previous to the comparative merits of in- consider the licensing of the existing come tax. No good can come out coolies or a number of foremen to pro- year does not take into full ac-

vide coolies, that the Counell should Count the increase in petrol, spirit of resuscitating a controversy long take a deposit from them and see tha

I do not intend and other duties which have oper-dead and buried.

they enrry out their dutles properly. any delinquency to be punishable by ated for only a portion of the fifto dwell on the subject, as I am leen momhs and moreover it takes confident that the War Taxation ane, the payment of which no account of the increase in Committee which Your Excellency guaranteed by the deposits suggested. of licences In postage rates which was intro-has reconstituted will make every with the cancellation

Impertec-cases of grave or repented offence. We duced a recently as the 1st day endeavour to remove of the present month.

tions and to evolve as satisfactory would most respectfully urge Govern- solution ment to try this alternative a system as possible.

before enibarking on a scheine of de- partmental collection,

Immigration

Coming to the working of the newly established Imnugration Department, 1 would like to support the request which

the

My submission therefore is that if these ncreases in taxation had operated for the whole of the pre- vious teen monilis, the revenue for that period would have been immeasurably higher, the differ- ence between the figure obtained by using that revenue as a basis y Senior Chinese colleague has made with regard to a Reneral speeding up

certi and the figure given by the Hon

in the Issuance of migration

A Financial Secretary as a forecast neates

rules sumplification in would then be accentuated and of procedure appeats to be the solution the cotisative nature of his At present. before an applicant can be issued with a certificate, he has to estimate would be clearly seen

requirements Firally, be 411 aprivation form. secondly, he intinf have photographs. which are in accordance with specifica- In his thirdly he must bons. application form

completed properly and fourthly, he must apply for the In order to comply with cortificate. These autrements.

ordinary per- tu 2433 au- Lo all

24

In this connection, it may be fun four noted at the Hon. Financial has to obtain Secretary in his latest statement gives Revised Estimated He-

$56.786,000, which vente cludes War Taxation and new or additional duties: but as he has only added a provision for new duties and has made no revision son, in addition to his visit

thorised photographer would, in his former estimates, my re- marks, in spite of the higher figure probability, be compelled to line up in

he has adhduced. remains Li- affected.

Congratulation

A

ELC

or foul, ir queue, in fair weather sun of rain. for three consecutive occa- sions before he could obtain his certi ficate and then presuming no hilch had occurred

Д

have learned that modifications

In summarising the

financial have now been introduced so that position of the Colony, the Hon. sertificate may be obtained in as short Final Secretary deplored the period as twenty-four hours.

This is but if true; certainly welcome mess,

The are still other aspects of there problem to which attention should be given at an early date, I refer to the the examination of ships on arrival,

by persons return of deposits made entering without eertificates, the met hod of collecting and the fixing of the amount of these deposits and the nrees-

fact that when the second instal- ment of the 1934 Dollar Loan was floated ast June, It was necessary

Government for

take up $5,790.000, more than half of the total. i that ch was obtained only to the extent of $5,640,000.

Far trim being a cause for dis- satisfaction, it appears to me to bety of paying deposits in Hong Kong

currency

I believe the Reseral public is tuir- minded enough to realise the difficul ties which must be encountered in sol- ing up a new department with the wide ransßeations invalved.

113 the short

sufficiency of stof and office gnace

a cuse for congratulations, that the financial resources of the Colony should be in that happy stat whereby the Colony could finance itself out of its surplus balances. The ring of dissatisfaction, time assigned and perhaps with an in- any, mand surely apply to the local money amarket, in particular to the local tax payer, that he should be obsed by such rifliculties as to render his respasse tu an attrae- tive forta of investment on vourable terms, so mengre.

The public would mu foind the delay and would be prepared to cooperate by suffering reasonable Inconvenience, provided it is satisfied that the depart- ment is doing its best and is itself sym- fa-pathetle towards the hardships of the public: but the complaint is that far from being helpful, the fetals of that nothing but department have showJE

civility and the result in the creation of considerable resentment on the part of the public which is now clamouring

4012-

So far as Government is cerned while th hquidity of its assets may be impaired, no loss has been incurred. Government is only making use of its idle money; for satisfaction

and the restoration of its cash In fairness to the head of the depart- position is being gradually assur-ment, I must qualify what I have said ed by yearly redemption of the by stressing that whenever I have been bonds from funds which are al-deputed by my colleagues to see hun. located for that purpose out of have found him not only most affable and considerate but ready to meet any suggestions which we might have sub-

revenue,

on

Collection Of Nightsoil

of

Incidentally in this connection,mitted. provision has been made, under Head 22 of the Draft Estimates, as a charge on account of Public Debt, for the payment of a sum of $404,390 by way of interest

Perhaps the most controversial that particular loan. There is no

the Items which are now appearing for doubt that, as Government is the the first time in the Budget is the pro- holder of more than half of this vision for a scheme, known as dopart- loan, over two lakhs will be pay-mental collection, whereby Government able to Government itself; but will employ coolics, some 2.000 bi num- nowhere is mention made of this her for the removal of nightsoil, attractive sum on the income side, cost of the project to be met by an in-

a perfect example of what I have referred to as hidden reserves.

Sound Policy

the

crease of one per cent. in the rates.

the

Wil

"Lack Of Progress"