}
Houses in the City of Victoria pay 13 per cent., which is apportioned as follows:-Police 8 per cent., Water 2 per cent., Lighting 13 per cent., and Fire Brigade per cent. The extra percentages are clearly Municipal Rates, just as much as if they were levied by and paid to separate municipalities. They are charged upon limited classes of persons, and for limited purposes, to defray expenditure wholly incurred within the localities named.
The revenues derived from the sale of night-soil under contracts for its removal from the City of Victoria constitute also a distinct item of municipal revenue. The proceeds are applied solely for the benefit of the city and of its inhabitants in providing for the cleansing of the streets and for the removal of rubbish and dirt having no money value to the collector of it.
The Eastern, Central, and Western Markets are within the city and are solely for the use of the city and its inhabitants. If a municipality were established here the markets would be handed over to it as undoubtedly municipal property. The rents derived from the letting of stalls in these markets is therefore municipal not general revenue.
In like manner with other items. A careful examination of the Revenue Returns and of the Ordinances under the authority of which many items of revenue are raised will shew that they are only leviable within the City of Victoria and in so far are distinctly municipal and not general revenue and therefore not fairly, or in accordance with the principle applied in the Straits Settlements, chargeable in respect of the Military Contribution.
The fact of Hongkong not having a Municipal Council should not militate against the Colony being as fairly treated as we would be if we had one.
The Unofficial Members of Council desire further to call the attention of the Right Honourable the Secretary of State to one or two other points in connection with the Military Contribution which were overlooked in the discussions in Council on the subject, in view of the much greater importance of the question of Municipal Revenue, and which in their opinion afford just grounds for a reduction of the
amount
1. The 17 per cent. should be calculated on the General Revenue of the Colony, less the amount recently raised to defray the Military Contribution itself, otherwise the Colony is paying not only on its ordinary revenue but in addition on the amount of extra revenue specially raised to defray the Military Contribution itself.
A
2. The Post Office is an Imperial Establishment in fact, if not in name, and is also an international institution in so far as it works in connection with the Postal Union. It has branches outside of the Colony in various ports in China. It derives a revenue from them and defrays certain expenditure on their account. large portion of the Post Office revenue (so called) is collected on account of the Imperial Government or of the Postal Union, and brings no profit to this Colony whatever. Such monies form no portion of the revenue of this Colony and ought to be thrown out of account it is submitted, in the calculation of the gross revenue taxable for the Military expenses.
3. In the Estimates for the current year (1896) there appear to be items included on the Revenue side of the account which do not represent any real receipts by the Treasury. Several of the Departments are charged, for the convenient keeping of the Water Account, with annual sums for the water they consuine.
Post Office
$100.00
Botanical and Afforestation....
600.00
Education
100.00
Hospital
1,000.00
Police
1,500.00
Gaol
800.00
Sanitary, Water for Markets..
2,000,00
Watering Streets
1,000,00
These departments do not, in fact, pay any money. If they do, it is money out of the Public Treasury. Such items are only book entries and should not be allowed to swell the gross total of the general revenue, for the purposes of the Military Contribution tax.
4. There are other items to the amount of about $46,000 classed last year and informergents as "Appropriations in Aid," and which were deducted from the gross expenditure in order to arrive at the amount of revenue to be raised, but which are used this year to swell the gross revenue. These are not in any true sense revenue at all. They are receipts which reader it necessary to raise less revenue annually. Such as the proceeds of the convict labour in the Gaol. The amounts recovered from Diplomatic, Naval, and Military Departments, Seamen and Debtor's, towards the Gaol Expenses. The Contribution from the Imperial Post Office. The Grant-in-aid from the Admiralty towards the Lock Hospital. The Contribution from the Chinese Government towards Gap Rock Light. Re- funds of Police Pay, and of cost of Police Stores, &c. Sick Stoppages from the Police Force, and other items of the same character.
5. There is another noteworthy item which ought to be deducted from the Gross Total. The Colonial Secretury estimates that during the year 1896 the Treasury will have to refund to the payers some $15,000 out of revenue received, i.e., that the revenue to be received will be some $15,000 less in fact than he estimates it at. These $15,000 should clearly be deducted.
6. Lastly, the monies raised annually for the payment of interest on loans, and for the purpose of maintaining sinking funds for the re-payment of these loans ought not to be made liable to the military tax. Such loans were raised on the security of the Colony's capital in land unsold, in its waterworks, markets, &c., and are part of its capital. The revenues now raised from the Water Rates, Central Market, &c., are charged specifically with the re-payment of the debts incurred in respect of the Waterworks, Market, &c., and with the interest on the loan. The amounts so collected are not Ordinary but Extraordinary Revenue, and will cease and determine when the specific purposes for which they were imposed have been accomplished. The Government is bound by a distinct agreement in respect of the Light Dues, which interfere with the complete freedom of the Port. If there is any profit to the Colony after payment of interest and after provision of sinking funds that is revenue and clearly liable, but otherwise not.
The Unofficial Members of Council respectfully request that the amount of the Military Contribution for 1896 may be reconsidered and that the Secretary of State would be pleased to give specific directions on all the points herein raised.
(Signed),
C. P. CHATER.
HO KAI
T. H. WHITEHEAD.
33
E. R. BELILIOS.
"
J. J. BELL-IRVING.
"
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBER, HONGKONG, 31ST MARCH, 1896.
635
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.