XN000022-1971-02-24 — Page 1

زمانه

1000001 P.R.H. 7

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

NFORMATION SERVICES

DAILY INFORMATION

BULLETIN

(Part 1)

Wednesday, February 24, 1971

NO TAX INCREASES IN BUDGET PROPOSALS

Repeal of Two Taxes, Increases In Water Charges

*

Sir John Cowperthwaite, Financial Secretary, proposed no tax

increases but the repeal of two taxes when he presented his Budget to the

Legislative Council today. Water charges, however, both for fresh and salt

water, would be raised.

The two taxes he proposed to repeal are:

Television licences, now $36 a year, to be abolished completely from April 1, 1972, but in the meantime to require renewal of expiring licences for the period between their date of expiry and March 31, 1972, at appropriately adjusted fees.

Sunday cargo working fees. This was introduced in 1891 in the hope that it would end cargo-working on Sunday. With the passing of legislation providing four rest-days a month for all workers, the original purpose has gone, and the fee is an anachronism,

Proposals for increases in fresh water charges are:

*

from $2 to $3 per thousand gallons for domestic consumers.

from $2 to $4 for trade and industry.

from $3 to $4 for non-ocean-going ships.

from $5 to $7 for ocean-going ships.

/There