CO129-606-1 Treasury control over Hong Kong finances 28-9-1944 - 23-12-1947 — Page 25

Alt.. 54126/1/46

Dear Serpell,

Colonial Office,

Downing Street,

Jo to 1.

800

25

October, 1946.

•54

Hong Long estimates

Je have already sent to you a copy of the Governor'a telegram No.996 wnicu sets out the steps it is proposed to take to increase revenue.

Governor makes no mention of the taxes on liquor and tobacco to which we referred in our telegram No. 600 and we propose to draw his attention to this and ask for his specific ɑozasnte.

I enclose a copy of a Third Personal Note from

together with a copy of a covering memorandum. I think you will agree that the Hong Kong Government is to be congratulated on producing printed estimates so soon after the establishment of civil Government.

I do not think, however, that it is possible to examine these estimates in us tail. apart from the items of personal emolumento, the provision under the various heaus must be more in the nature of intelligent guessed than considered estimates of pre-var accuracy.

D. R. DARWALL, 500., O. B. Lie

/In