that
-3-
some landlords were already preparing to collect from their tenants a considerably higher percentage of was justified.
-
additional rent than
Section 10 is directed to the oase of persons in the service of the naval and military authorities who already pay income tax in the United Kingdom. Persons in this class have suffered
severely through the war, chiefly on account of the abnormal rise in exchange, their pay being fixed in sterling, and there seemed to be a general feeling in the Colony that they should be relieved from this special war rate.
The outlying villages and agricultural districts are excluded from the schedule.
In my opinion this is an Ordinanes to which His sxcellency the Governor may properly assent in the name of His Lajesty and on Hi behalf.
Attorney General,
12th June, 1917.
41
Fondos.
25th May.
1
1919.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL /
THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconde, and the Bill was read a first time.
Enemy Trading
4140
Pent 14 13 17
בל W '
been pointed out by the Crown Age
The "objects and reasons "state :-It ha
that the War Lona Ordinance, 14. makes all interest LOBEH bonds from the date of the dying. THE ATTORNEY-ENERAL moved the The effect of this would be that a bony holder first reading of a Bill intitull, " An Ordin-ight not be able to claim his prinsipal and since to amend the law relating to trading of interest on the amount so clayed. It has interest so promptly as to avold frtain loss with the enemy and the export of prohibited therefore heen decided to previrle that a goods."
Janat fifteen days' notice the numbers the interest ceases to run. drawn shall be given before phe date on which
THE COLONIAL, SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a first time.
The Bill also provide for the mode of The objects an easons" state that the drawing in more detaj than the principal object of this Bill is introduce here the Ordinance. It was orginally intended that provisions of sections I bud 2 of the Trading these details should be directed by the with the Enemy and Export of Prohibited Governor under setion 11 of the principal Goods Act, 1916, § and ▼ Geo. 5, c. 52. Ordinance, but items convenient to include Section 3 of that Act is not required here in them in this bill. The provisions are based view of the provisions of the Importation on the model of the General Loan and In. and Exportation Ordinance, 101, Ordinance | scribed Stock Ordinance which is used in the * No 32 of 1916.
case of low domiciled with the Crown Agents.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL ved the first reading of a Bill intituled, "AkOrlin- | ance to repeal the North Borneo Extrition Ordinance, 1898,
North Borneo Extradition
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded,, and the Bill was read a first time.
The objects and reasons" state :- The Straits Settlements and Protected Spften Fugitive Offenders Onler in Council 1916, which was nine by virtue the profisions of the Fugitive Offenders (Protected States) Act, 1918, provides that the Fugitife Offen ders Act, 1881, is to apply as if the State of North Borneo wero a British possession. This Order in Council, which as published in the Hongkong Gasette of the 15th Decom- ber, 1918, was brought into foren on the 1st February, 1917, by the negeswary notification under Article I. Thi notification was published in the Hongkong Gastle of the 27th April, 1917. I consequence of the above legislation the North Borneo Extra dition Ordinance, 1998. Ordinance No. 1 of 1896 of the Ordinance of Hongkong, is no longer necessary, and this Bilf accordingly repeals it.
Hagkong's War Loan
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the first reading of a Bill intituled, "An Ordin- ance to amend further the War Loan Onlin- ince 1916."
far COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, ful the Bill was read a first time.
The bill also corrects a discrepancy between the long as to the date of redemption for bonds for previously redeemed by drawing or pafchase. The date adopted in the bill is the 1st November, 1928, which was the date spécified in the prospectus.
War Finance
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL, moved the first reading of a Bill intituled, "An Ordi- the rates for the special purpose of increasing nance to provide tor a temporary increase in the contributions of the Colony to His Majesty's Government towards the expenses of the present war."
4
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the Bill was read a first time.
The objects and reasons" state-The object of this bill is to impose a special war rute of 7 per cent., in addition to the ordinary rates, for the purpose of providing an addi- tional contribution to be paid by the Colony to His Majesty's Government towards the expenses of the war. The whole of the re- venne collected by means of this rate will be as paid.
The outlying villages are excluded from the scheme.
H EXCELLENCY-At the meeting of this Council held on the 22nd of February last. I said that I hoperl very shortly to make definite proposals to you on the subject of increasing taxation for the purpose of can- tributing still further to Imperial War Funds. I had in my mind the imposition of an In- come Tax, but after spending considerable
530
42
THE CHAIRMAN-This amount is for two spare buoys in connection with the far- bour Thorings; one "A" class bouy and one """ class buoy. We have got no spar once at present, and occasionally" the buoys hava to be taken up.
HON. ME. POLLOCK -Is this in excess of the amount estimated, or not i
THE CHAIRMAN--It was n estimated for at all.
Hos. Mu. POLLOCK -There was an stimate originally when the scheme was started..
Tax CHAIRMAN—That was al) in last year, I think.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Lime in studying that project I found that the difficulties of imposing such a tax in this Colony are, for the present at any intę, in superable. We are, in a word, too close, both geographically and commercially to the Can- Lou Province." On the 20th March 1 mention- the report in the Press of a proposed after by the Chinese community of a voluntary gift of $1,000,000 to the Imperial War Chest. Though most anxious to give affer to this offer, our Chinese friends found the difficul- I ties of self-assessment so grant that they were forced to appeal to me for help wod guidence in the matter. I had myself, with the sexistance of my officers, been at pains to devise a method of taxing the non-Chinese portion of the community by a special in crease of the rates as a complement to the proposed Chinese gift. We found such a Acheme to bristle with difficulties, and in the result I had to confess myself beaten in both -| fields. I could not devise a achenie of self- assessment for the Chinese, nor a satisfactory one for a discriminating increase in the rates. The result is that the Government has been forced to adopt the scheme of partial increase in the rates embodied in the Bill before you. In that Bill we have eliminated from taxa- tion the agricultural classes in the communi- ty. My objection all along to a general increase in the rates has been that it involves taxation of many who, under a scheme of Income Tax, would have escape taxation. A scheme of Income Tax having failed, I can only say that this Bill is the best substitute the Government have been able to devise. In order to protect the orcupiers from in- creases of rent out of proportion to the War Tax, & clause will be added to the Bill in Committee providing that landlords shall aive particulars of increases in renta, and the renson therefor, nude since the 1st of May, and empowering the Qovamment to review and vary these increases or other increases brought to its notice by, or on behalf of, -occupiers.
HEXCELLENCY--Council stands ad- journed until next Thursday.
PINANGA ASEMELLETTINE.
Aqueting of the Finance Committee Followedhe COLONIAL SECRETARY presiding.
Re-arrangment of Moorings
The Governor racommended the Council to vote sum of four thousand six hundred and twenty-tive dollars (84,895.00) sin aid of thệ vote €. Harbour Master's Department. Special Expenditure, Acquisition and re- arrangement of Moorings in Victoria Har ixour.
'The
THE COLONIAL TREASURER original amount was merely for buying up the existing buoys. This proposal now is to allow them to have one or two spare buoya It is an additionalfamount.
The vote was greed to.
Kowton-Danton Railway
The Goverfor recommended the Council to vote a sum of five hundred and sixty dollars. ($500) in aid of the vote Kowloon-Canton Railway, Working Expenses, Other Chargen, Painting Contract, Carriages.
THE HAIRMAN These sums are for painting carriages. The original paint used has been found to be unsatisfactory, and a mory lasting varnish is required for the car- riages. This arm is for painting another tive carriages.
The vote was agreed to.
Miscellaneous
The Governor recommended the Council to rute & sum of four hundred dollars ($400) in aid of the vote Miscellaneous Services, War Expenditure, Other items of Expenditure.
THE CHAIRMAN-This vote is in connec. tion with the Military Service Commission. It includes 8300 for myself as Secretery, and $100 for clerical assistance.
The vote was agreed to.
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