53727-1917-Supplementary-Bill-to-be-introduced--Rating-Special-War-Rate- — Page 1

194

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

No. S. 124. The following Bill, which it is proposed to introduce at the next Meeting of the Legislative Council, is published for general information:--

A BILL

Short title

and con- struction.

INTITULED

An Ordinance to provide for a temporary in- crease in the rates for the special purpose of increasing the contributions of the Colony to His Majesty's Government towards the ex- penses of the present war.

BE it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:

1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Rating (Special War Rate) Ordinance, 1917, and shall be read and con- strued as one with the Rating Ordinance, 1901, hereinafter called the principal Ordinance, and with the Rating 1901 and 9 of Amendment Ordinance, 1917.

Ordinances

Nos, 6 of

1917.

Special war

rate.

Commence-

ment and fluration of rate.

Liability for payment of special war rate.

Decision as

2. In addition to the rates payable under the principal Ordinance, there shall be payable on the current valuation of every tenement in the places specified in the schedule hereto a special war rate of seven per centum per annum.

3.--(1.) The said special war rate shall begin to be pay- able from the 1st July, 1917, and shall remain payable until the end of the quarter during which the present war shall have come to an end.

(2.) If any question arise as to the date on which the present war shall have come to an end the decision of the Governor in Council as to such date shall be final.

(3.) The said special war rate shall be recoverable by the Treasurer at any time after it has become due, whether the present war shall have come to an end or not.

4. Notwithstanding anything contained in section 33 of the principal Ordinance, the said special war rate shall, as between the owner and the occupier of any tenement, be borne by the occupier, whether there be any agreement in existence at the commencement of this Ordinance or not under which the owner of any tenement is, as between him and the occupier, liable for rates generally.

5. Notwithstanding anything contained in the principal to whether a Ordinance, if any question arise as to whether any tene- ment is included in a place specified in the schedule bercto, the schedule, the decision of the Governor in Council shall be final,

tenement is

included in

Alteration of schedule.

Proceeds of the special

war rate to be paid to His Majesty's

Government.

6. It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council to alter the schedule hereto by the addition thereto or removal therefrom of any places, and upon such alteration to fix the date upon which the special war rate shall begin to be payable, or, as to the case may be, shall cease to be payable, in respect of the tenements affected.

7. The revenue collected by means of the said special war rate shall be placed at the disposal of His Majesty's Government for the prosecution of the present war.

Exemption 8. The revenue collected by means of the said special from defence war rate shall be deducted from the Colonial Revenues contribution. before the calculation of the sums payable to Ilis Majesty's Government under the Defence Contribution Ordinance, 1901.

Ordinance

No. 1 of 1901.