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Extract from the
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from the Hong Kong Daily Press of the 17th Norby, 1918. treating of Levis Celini Connces,
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DEFENCE CONTRIBUTION AMENDMENT
ORDINANCE.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL Moved the second reading of the Bill entitled, "An Ordinance to smend the Defence Contribution Ordinance, 1901." In doing so he said-I think the objects and reasons of 'his Bill state all I need say on the subject. This Bill has been drafted on in- structions from the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded.
the
Hon. Mr HEWETT-Your Excellency, in the estimates for next year, which were laid on the table four weeks ago, there is the entry, Military Contribution, $1,372,089. I hd proposed last week, in reply to your Excelleney's budget speech, to speak on this point on behalf of the unofficial members, but you pointed out that it would be more fitting if I spoke when this Bill came up for consideration. I Lave very little to say ON subject. Your Excellency is aware of the views the unofficial members have already expressed on this point. It was fully debated at the meeting in June, and I regret that the only reply received from the Secretary of State is the Bill before us. Therefore, we can only suppose that the Secretary of State has refused to consider our point. However, the unofficial members are unanimous in considering that 20 per cent., or one-fifth, of the revenue of the Colony is too larse a contribution in view of the present financial condition to pay for military contribution, and the senior unofficial member will on our behalf when we reach the Committee stage move that the vote be reduced so that it shall not excred. one million dollars, that is to say, when we reach the Committee it is proposed to move that the vote be reduced by the sum of $372,089.
HIS EXCELLENCY-Gentlemen, the Bil before the Council is one which I have been instructed by the Secretary of State to in- troduce, and I have been instructed that it
I shall is to be passed without amendment. therefore be unable to accept this amendment which is intended to be proposed by the senior I would unofficial member in Committee. remind you that this Bill represents an effort by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to exempt from assessment for the military con. tribution the earnings of the railway. This, so far as it goes, is a concession, and I think that I am right in saying that it represents the action which was taken in the Straits Settle- meuts, who have had railways for some time. The Secretary of State is not an independent authority on thisquestion. He bas to consult with the Treasury and with the War Office, and how- ever much he might desire to relieve this Colony of a portion of the military contribution he is not able to do so without the consent of the Lords of the Treasury and the War Office. In the dispatch in which he instructed me to introduce this Bill he said he had obtained the ascent of the Lords of the Treasury and of the Military authorities to exempt revenue derived from the railway from the assessment of the military contribution nutil such time as the railway be came a paying concern. This Bill, therefore, I does not represent, as the hon. member who has just spokon said, a reply from the Secretary of State to representations made in this Council on June last, nor does it in any way infer that the Secretary of Stato has refused to consider the point. I have not had a reply to the dispatch I sent him covering a report of the resolution proposed by an unofficial member in this Council, but I have heard un- officially that the delegates from this Colony on the occasion of the Coronation had an interview with the Secretary of State, and he told thom he was about to appoint a departmental committee
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"on which there would be representatives of the| Colonial Office, the War Office and the Treasury, and that the interests of the colones anuld be represented by the Colonial Offic-think, therefore, we may believe that thR Sretary, of State is doing bis best in this matter, and so far as this Bill is concerned, in- nothing whatever in it to
there is nothas refused the desires which were
represented by the unofficial members in June last. The Bill, as I bave said, deals only with a particular point in regard to the military contribution, and the Secretary of Stale desires that it should be confined to that and that it should be passed without amendment.
HIS EXCELLENCY then put the motion, and declared that the Ayes" had it.
Hen, Mr. HewETTI beg pardon. Sir, a point of order. There appears to be some mis- understanding as to whether we can or cannot move an amendment in Committee.
HIS EXCELLENCY-You can more an amend- ment in Committee.
The motion was carried.
Council resolved itself into Committee to con- sider the Bill clanse by clause.
On clause 2.
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI-Sir, I wish to move an amendment to be substitated for the present clause in the following terms:
2. (1) Section 3 of the Principal Ordinance is hereby amended by substituting "1912" for 1911," and also by substituting the words "of 1,000,000 dollars" for the words "a sum of the equivalent to twenty per centum Colonial Bereuues."
(2) Sections 2 and 4 of the Principal Ordinance
are hereby repealed. Section 5 of the Prin- cipal Ordinance is amended by substituting the word sum" for the word "percentage" in the first line and by deleting the words "by "in the last line. Section way of percentage 6 of the Principal Ordinance is arcended by Ysubstituting the word "sum" for the word "percentage," and by substituting the words for the word "in monthly instalments" "monthly."
In effect, Sir, this is an amendment to place the military contribution at one million dollars per annum, and if this is passed the amend- ment in section 2 will be unnecessary, because it does not require the exemption of any partien- ler revenue. Therefore, this amendment if passed does not militate against exemption at all, but rather includes the exemption. I am quite aware there are different ways of cloulating the amount of military contribu- tion. The unofficial members have considered the points very thoroughly. They expressed their views on June 1st and I need not recapitulate the whole argument in favour of limiting the enm to one million per annum. The amendment is made with the unanimous concurrence of the anofficial members, aud although your Excellerey has instructions not to accept it I think as a matter of protest we should vote for this amendment.
The amendment was then put, the voting being as follows:
Ayes-Hon. Mr. Ross, Hou, Mr. Osborne, Hon Mr. Hewett, Hon. Mr. Pollock, Hon. Mr. Wei Yuk, and Hon. Dr. Ho Kai.
Noes-Captain Superintendent of Police, Registrar-General, Director of Public Works, Colonial Treasurer, Attorney-General, Colonial Secretary, and the General Officer Commanding
On Council rasuming,
The ATTORNEY GENERAL reported that the Bill had passed through Committee without amendment, and moved that it be read a third time.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a third time and passed.
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