CO129-266 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1895 [1-3] — Page 232

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SIR,

C. O.

4782

19 VR961

STAMP OFFICE,

223

HONGKONG, 9th January, 1895,

By Section IV of Straits Settlements Ordinance No. XVII of 1887 it is enacted that--- (1) On the presentation at the Stamp Office of an instrument (other than a cheque) for the purpose of the same being stamped with an impressed stamp, the proper Officer shall affix thereto an adhesive label of labels denoting the amount of duty payable, and shall then cause a stamp or stamps denoting the like duty to be impressed on the instrument in such a way that each impression falls partly on the lable of corresponding value. (2) No instrument executed after the commencement of this Ordinance and requiring an impressed stamp shall be deemed to be duly stamped unless it has been stamped in the manner in this section prescribed.

2. It is evident that this double stamping, by means of an impressed over an adhesive stamp, affords a very much better check on the amount of revenue received than does the present system here, under which it is impossible to know how many impressions have been made during working hours, and of what value.

3. The Singapore system would doubtless have been introduced in Hongkong long age had it not been for certain difficulties, which do not present themselves in the former Colony, and which relate principally to the delay which might be occasioned to the public in having bills of lading, insurance policies, &c. stamped, and to the difficulty of affixing adhesive stamps to documents requiring to be impressed with high values.

4. I think, however, that in the case of the latter an exception might be made, as is done in Singapore in the case of cheques, and, in place of adhesive stamps, the signature of the Collector, or, in his absence, of the Cashier of the Treasury might be made obliga- tory.

5. As regards the former, it has been suggested to me that the apprehended inconve- nience would disappear, so far as bills of lading and local insurance policies are concerned, if the Stamp Office were supplied by the various Firus and Agencies with a stock of their instruments, accompanied by a note of the number to be stamped under the several values. These forms could then be kept in stock by the Stamp Office, and be sold, in the case of bills of lading to all comers, in that of insurance policies to the Agents.

Where impressed stamps are desired on Dividend Warrants they might be treated in the same way.

The above course could not be followed in the case of policies issued by home companies and bearing consecutive numbers, as it would be impossible to Bay beforehand what the proper stamp for a particular number would be, but, as that class of instrument is not presented for stamping in large numbers at any one time, the affixing of an adhesive stamp would not entail any considerable inconvenience.

I should be much obliged by any suggestions as to the above proposal which may occur to you, my object being to safeguard the public revenue with as little inconvenience to the public as possible.

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

N. G. MITCHELL-INNES,

Collector of Stamp Hevenue.