636694-1897-Circular-Despatch-re-Increase-of-certain-Taxes-in-Spain — Page 1

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 28TH AUGUST, 1897.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 341.

The following Circular Despatch, with its enclosure, is published.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 23rd August, 1897.

CIRCULAR.

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Colonial Secretary.

705

Downing StreET,

8th July, 1897.

SIR,With reference to my Predecessor's Circular despatch of the 15th January, 1895, I have the honour to transmit to you, for publication in the Colony under your Government, a translation of a Spanish Royal Decree, increasing certain taxes, including Customs duties, by 10 per cent.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient, humble Servant,

J. CHAMBERLAIN.

The Officer Administering the Government of

HONGKONG.

TRANSLATION.

ROYAL DECREE.

At the instance of the Minister of Finance and in accord with the Council of Ministers, I make the following Decree as Queen Regent of the Kingdom, in the name of my August Son, King Alfonso XIII.

ARTICLE 1.

In accordance with Article I. of the Law of the 10th instant, providing extra revenues to cover the yearly payment on the loan guaranteed by the Custom House duties during the next financial year, the following temporary and interior duties on the revenue included in the direct and indirect taxes in the Estimates are imposed. The temporary surcharge will be at the rate of one-tenth of the assessed amounts, the tariffs and the liquidations to realize the payments under the following headings of the Estimates :---

Industrial and Commercial Taxes,

Probate Duties,

Royalty on Mines,

Duties on Titles, Nobility, &c.,

Personal documents (cedulas),

Payments by the State, whether Provincial or Municipal,

Port Dues in the Canary Islands,

Duty on private carriages,

Duties on commercial bills,

Custom House duties,

Consular fees,

Special tax on the manufacture of spirits,

Tax on Sugar (Foreign, Colonial or Native),

Special octroi duty on Colonial Importations,

Duties on the tariffs on travellers and merchandise,

Stamp Duty,

Duty on Gunpowder and explosives.

The tax on salaries and on articles of consumption, including the special duties on spirits and salt, will also be increased by a temporary surcharge of 2 per 100 on existing tariffs.

ARTICLE 2.

The surcharge of one-tenth, designated as an interior tax on the Custom House duties, is not to be considered as an alteration in the existing tariff, but as a temporary addition to the total amount due on each declaration. However, all the engagements entered into under the international tariff regulations will be respected.