XN000022-1988-02-10 — Page 22

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THE GROUP ALSO PROPOSED TO SUBSTITUTE

PERIOD OF ONE MONTH'.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1988

'REASONABLE TIME' BY A

H

APPROVAL, AND THIS CONCEIVABLY APPLICATION, HE EXPLAINED.

..

'WE CONSIDER ONE MONTH TO BE A REASONABLE

ACTUAL THAT IN

THE PRACTICE, INTO ACCOUNT

ΤΟ A BOARD REQUIRED TO BRING HIMSELF

MEETING, CAN BE DONE RY WAY

HAVING TAKEN TIME, BOARD MEMBER JS NOT BUT JUST TO SEEK OF A WRITTEN

CHANGES IN TOBACCO DUTY STRUCTURE FORMALISED

BILL 1988 SOUGHT TO WHICH WERE EFFECTED

THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES (AMENDMENT) FORMALISE CHANGES TO THE TOBACCO DUTY STRUCTURE BY A PUBLIC PROTECTION ORDER ON NOVEMBER 25 LAST YEAR, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF

THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES

{ AMENDMENT) BILL 1988, MR JACOBS SAID CLAUSE 2 OF THE BILL SOUGHT ΤΟ REPEAL SECTION 66 OF THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE WHICH STIPULATED THE PROCEDURE FOR THE CALCULATION OF THE WEIGHT OF TOBACCO. THIS PROVISION WAS RENDERED OBSOLETE BY THE PER STICK DUTY STRUCTURE.

IN ADDITION, CLAUSE 3 OF THE BILL SOUGHT TO AMEND THE SCHEDULE TO THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE WHICH STIPULATED THE RATES OF DUTY PAYABLE ON VARIOUS TOBACCO PRODUCTS.

TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT LEVEL OF REVENUE YIELD, MR JACOBS SAID A UNIFORM DUTY RATES OF $165 PER 1,000 CIGARETTES FOR LOCAL AND IMPORTED BRANDS WAS PROPOSED.

DUTIES ON OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS, THAT IS CIGARS, SMOKING TOBACCO AND CHINESE PREPARED TOBACCO, WOULD CONTINUE TO BE LEVIED ACCORDING TO WEIGHT, HE ADDED.

MR JACOBS NOTED THAT THE NEW DUTY STRUCTURE WAS NOW IN OPERATION AND LARGELY ACCEPTED, ALTHOUGH THERE HAD BEEN SOME MILDLY CRITICAL COMMENTS BY SECTORS OF THE INDUSTRY.

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