CO129-442 - Governor Sir May - 1917 [4-6] — Page 531

No

222.

526

17

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG. 29th. June, 1917.

Sir,

With reference to the telegraphic correspondence

mor to Secretory of State) Oth. April, 1917. retary of State to Governor

May, 1917.

Govern

Endlosure

2.

ddd14

in Code noted in the margin, I have the

honour to transmit for the signification of

His Majesty's pleasure the enclosed Ordinance

intituled:-

An Ordinance to provide for a temporery increase in the rates for the special

purpose of increasing the contributions

of the Colony to His Majesty's Govern-

ment towards the expenses of the present:?

No. 18 of 1917.

war".

The full report by the Attorney General, which is

attached, explains the provisions of the Ordinance and the difficulty in exempting altogether the poorer classes of Chinese

occupiers from its incidence. I would drew attention to the

facts that revenue collected under the Ordinance will not be

liable to Militory Contribution, and that persons in the service

of the Naval and Military Authorities who pay income tax on their official salaries will be allowed a refund of the war rate to

the extent of the income tax.

3.

I enclose also the Honsard report of the remarks

I made on the first reading of the Bill and of the debate on

the second reading and I would specially notice the generous

offer of Sir Robert Ho Tung to discharge himself the wor rate

imposed

&c..

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

WALTER LONG, M. P.,

&C..

&C..