CO129-541-4 Empire Products Fair- report 2-7-1932 - 16-3-1933 — Page 6

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

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which it is proposed to spend $300,000 this year. The work is necessary for the full development of the Tytam Tuk reservoir and has been frequently discussed only to be postponed for lack of funds. Provision is made in the current year's Estimates on page 114 along with the other loan works, resolutions for which were approved by Council at the meeting on 6th October last immediately after the 1933 Budget had been passed. The reason for not at the same time moving a resolution to cover the Tytam Tuk Catchwaters was that the sanction of the Secretary of State had first to be obtained to charge the cost to loan funds. This sanction has now been given.

I now move:—

(a) That this Council approves the construction of the Tytam

Tuk Catchwaters at an estimated cost of $690,000.

(b) That this Council authorises the said sum of $690,000 to be charged to a future loan and sanctions an advance of a sum of $300,000 to be spent during the financial year 1933 from the surplus balances of the Colony.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded.

THE HON. SIR HENRY POLLOCK.—When are the Works to be completed?

THE HON. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.--They should be completed next year.

The motion was agreed to.

TOBACCO DUTIES.

THE COLONIAL TREASURER.-The resolution I am about to move is one of the results of the Ottawa Conference, and is already in force by virtue of the order made by Your Excellency under the Revenue Protection Ordinance and published in the Gazette of the 17th February, 1933. In Part A of the Table, Empire Tobacco is given a preference of 7 cents per pound if unstripped and of 8 or 9 cents per pound (according to the degree of moisture) if stripped.

In Part B, preferences are also given as shown in the Table. To counterbalance the preferences the duty on non-Empire cigarettes is raised from 90 cents to 99 cents per pound and the duty on snuff, cigar cuttings and manufactured tobacco which is neither of Empire manufacture nor Chinese is also raised from 90 cents to 99 cents per pound.

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