CO129-013 - Sir John Davis - 1845 [8-12] — Page 82

goods in a British Colony.

The anemorial states that in a

" place nominally declared to be a five-port

"Every description of

Commerce and trade is

"a subject of taxation or sources of revenue The answer to this is the well known

.

"

fact that not a single Customs duty is lived on the import or export of a single article of commerce or consumption: package is inspected by a bevernment. officer in either landing or shipping;

mo

..no

Custom house whatever is in existence;

and although advised by Her Majesty's Government to levy a small tonnage duty to pay

the Harbor expenses. His Excellency the Governor has disobeyed his instructions pather than interfore, with the freedom

of the Port by improving even sixpence tow, when the harbor duw at the five

Pork, and at Macas.

are about three

a..

shillings...

shillings.

31

No import duty whatever has get

Moines and Spirits,

been levied

Ever

rent

A-

productive source of revenue in other colonies. It would be difficult to show that any direct tax whatever (unless land roud be so termed) has been paid by the English portion of the community. While an income tax I 3 per cent is paid by the Civil Military. and Naval Officers of the Government in

now with their fellow subject in Englais nothing of the kired is known to the richest colonist of Hongkong + It scams unfair

Commod

avid

partial, after the resources of the mother country have been profusely expended in protecting the persons,

and extending ars, and markets of its mercantile subjects

in

the

China, that the greater part of the future

8 fall on

civil expenses of this Colony shouts the British Public, as an

exception to

most