HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
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able to devise a scheme for what really amounted to taxation of themselves. me to Bee solution, but,
$1
A. Department Director of Education, Other Charges, Transport
of
if
77.74
Total
877.74
(3.)-No refund shall be payable | Education, in respect of any quarter to any person who has not paid within the first month of the quarter all the rates payable by him in respect of that quarter.
(4.)For the purpose of this sec- tion a person shall be deemed to have paid the special war rate although he may have paid such rate through the landlord, hotel- keeper, or boarding-house-keeper upon whose premises he resides and net direct to the Treasurer: Pro vided that in such case the Trea surer shall decide what amount of special war rate has been so paid. An amendment by Hon. Mr. SHEWAN that the tax should be increased to 10 per cent. and that all persons paying rents under $90 per month should be exempted, was not accepted by the Governor.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL remarked that houses rented at over 300 per month are often let out in floors, which again sub-let in cubicles and bed spaces.
are
HIS EXCELLENCY remarked that if & tribunal could be formed to fix rents it would remove some of the difficulties,
HON. MR. SHEWAN-I think the pre- sent feeling in the Colony is that the landlords would be afraid to have that Bort of thing.
The Bill passed through Committee with the above amendments, and, on Coun- cil resuming,
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL that it be read a third time.
moved
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY second- ed, and the Bill was then read a third time and passed.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
The vote was agreed to.
Quarry Apparatus
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of two thousand six hun- dred and fifty dollars ($2,660 in aid of the vote Public Works Extraordinary, Hongkong Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Works-Apparatus for Government Quarry.
The vote was agreed to
Electric Lighting
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of one thousand dollars (1,000) in aid of the following votes: Public Works, Refurrent, 31.-
Electric Lighting, Kowloon .......₫ 500 Public Works, Recurrent, 45.-Elec-
tric Lighting, Samshuipo
500
.$1,000
Total
The vote was/agreed to.
Water Works Maintenance
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a surf of two thousand three hun- dred dollar ($2,300) in aid of the vote Public Works Recurrent, 49, New Terri tories, Wader Works, Maintenance of Lai Chi Kok./
The vote was agreed to.
Beautifying Fanling
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of two thousand three hun- dred and fifty dollars ($2,350) in aid of the vote Botanical and Forestry Depart Charges, Maintenance of Gardens and meht, Forestry (New Territories), Other
A meeting of the Finance Committee followed, the COLONIAL SECRETARY presid-rounds, Improvements in and adjoin- ing.
seven
The Governor recommended the Council to vote a sum of five hundred and seventy- dollars and seventy-four cents (8577.74) in aid of the folowing votes:- Education, A. Department of Director of Education, Other Charges, Incidental Expenses $500.00
ng the Fanling Golf Course.
The vote was agreed to.
The Supplementary Vote When the Supplementary Vote came up in Committee, the Chairman announced that he had received several questions from the Hon. Mr. Pollock. With regard to the Harbour Department he asked wha
Then they appealed to
I could find as I have already told the Council, the problem defeated me. I do not think I can hold out any hope that the proposi- tion will be further considered. As re- cards the hon. member's remarks about legislation by order of the Governor-in- Council, we are prepared to accept his suggestion in regard to this particular Bill and to alter it. With regard to his general remarks on the subject, I want say that when rules are considered which affect any particular interests in this Colony those interests consulted in the matter.
are always However, we ill take his suggestion into considera- tion, and see whether anything can be done in the direction which he and his colleague indicated. As regards the remarks made by Mr. Shewan, we find it impossible to alter this Bill so as to exempt what he classes as the poorer class. Properties are owned and leased in this 'olony in such a manner that it would be impossible to do as he suggests with- but causing a greater part of the burden 10 fall on one class-the landlords-and that, again, would be unfair. I can only suggest to landlords that they should imitate the example which is going to be set by a Chinese gentleman here, Sir Robert Ho Tung. I have a letter from him in which he says that it is his inten- tion to pay the per rent, increase on behalf of all his tenants for the duration of the war. That is an extraordinarily generous offer, and the tenants of Sir Robert Ho Tung will be extraordinarily lucky. I only hope that many of them are of the class referred to by Mr. Shewan. There are many other landlords in the Colony and many landlords who are not of the Chinese race, and I hope that they will imitate the example of Sir Robert Ho Tong as far as their resources permit, waiving the liability of their tenants under this tex, either wholly For in part
Council then went into Committee to consider the Bill clause by clause. The following amendments made:-
were
1-(a) In clause 2 omit the word
"current."
(Z) Renumber clause 2 as clause 2
(1). (e) Add the following sub-clause to
clause 2:-
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"(2) The said special war rats for any given quarter shall be calculated on the valuation in force for the purpose of the rates payable for that quarter under the principal Ordin- ance.
IL-In clause 6 substitute the words "Legislative Council by resolu tion for the words Governor-in- Council."
HII.-Add the following clauses:-
9. (1.)-If any person who receives the rent of any tenement or part of a tenement demands from his tenant, under colour of collecting the auid special war rate, an amount which exceeds the amount paid by auch person as special war rate in rea- pect of such tenement or part of a tenement, he shall be liable upon summary conviction to a fine nov exceeding five hundred dollars.
(2.)-No person shall be convicted under this section of demanding an excessive amount from the tenant of a part of any tenement if he proves (a) that the total amount collected by him as special war rate in res- pect of such tenement is equal to or less than the amount paid by him. as special war rate in respect of such tenement and (b) that the demand of an excessive amount from the tenant of such part of such tenement was due to a bond Ade mistake.
(3.) If in any proceedings any question arises as to what amount of special war rate is attributable to any part of any tenement che certificate of the Assessor shall be admissible aş evidence of such amount.
Additional Clause:-
10. (1.)-Any person in the scr vice of the Crown who satisfies the Treasurer that he has paid income tax in the United Kingdom or in any British Possession on his official pay for any period in respect of which he has also paid the special war rate payable under this Ordin- ance shall be entitled to a refund of such special war rate not exceed- ing the amount of such income tax.
(2.) For the purpose of the said' refund such income tax shall be con- verted into dollars at the demand rate on the first day of the quarter I respect of which such special war rate was paid.
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