218
10.
Hong Kong
United Kingdom Duty per pound
£
S.
d.
£
S
d.
Manufactured tobacco
and cigarettes (except cigars)
Duty per pound
Raw Tobacco
1.
8
1.
2
12.
8
2
It would be undesirable to increase the duties on Chinese
Native Spirit or on raw tobacco as the increase would tend to hit too hardly the poorer class of Chinese, but reasonable increases might be made in the duties on whisky, brandy, gin, manufactured
The tobacco and imported cigarettes without hardship on anyone. retail prices of these commodities are, notwithstanding the cost of transport, exceedingly low when compared with the cost of the same
articles in England.
=
For instance, a bottle of Johnny Walker Whisky" sells at $4.70 approximately six shillings, and a tin of 50 Players Medium cigarettes sells 80 cents approximately one shilling and a penny.
Appendix 11. A tabulated statement is attached showing the effect of the
"C"
levy and payment at the fictitious rate of exchange of 1/6d. to the
dollar.
Your Petitioners respectfully submit that only if the finances
of the Colony were in a desperate condition could a levy of so
severe a nature be justified.
12.
Your Petitioners contend that the finances of the Colony are
not in a desperate condition and they crave leave to point to the fact that at the end of October, 1935, the Colony's credit balance stood at the very substantial figure of $12,712,393. (Notification
No. 73 in the Government Gazette of 17th January, 1936).
Your Petitioners append hereto a statement of the Colony's
Appendix surplus Balances at the end of each financial year from 1914 until
"D"
1935.
It will be noted that only on four occasions during this period of 21 years has the surplus balance exceeded the figure at which it stood on the 31st. October, 1935, while the balance stood as recently
Page 220Page 221
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.