640927-1896-Ordinances-Nos-21-and-22-of-1896-assented-to- — Page 2

1246 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 26TH

No. 21 OF 1896.

An Ordinance enacted by the Governor of Hong- kong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, to appropriate a sum equivalent to seventeen and a half per centum of the Colonial Revenues as a contri- bution for the Defence of the Colony.

LS

WILLIAM ROBINSON,

Governor.

BER, 1896.

Dec

Short title. (Straits Settle- ments, No, TV of 1896, 8, 1.)

Yearly appro- priation for defence of Colony. (Ibid, s. 3.)

Definition of "Colonial Revenues." (Ibid, s. 3.)!

Percentage how calcul- sted.

(Ibid, n. 4.)

What expenses are included in percentage. (Ibid, B. 8.)

Percentage payable quarterly.

(Ibid, 1. 6.)

B

E 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 Defence Con- tribution Ordinance, 1896.

2. A sum equivalent to seventeen and a half per centum of the Colonial Revenues shall be appropriated yearly, com- mencing with the Colonial Revenues for the year 1895, to the Imperial Government as a contribution for the defence of the Colony.

3. The Colonial Revenues for the purposes of this Ordi- nance shall include the gross receipts by the Colony from all sources of revenue but shall not include the proceeds of land sales and premia on leases.

4. In the first instance the said percentage shall be cal culated on the estimated revenue of the year and shall ba paid at that rate, subject, however, to revision and adjust- ment in the manner following, that is to say:--

(1) After the close of any year for which payment shall have been made according to this Ordinance when the actual revenue shall have been ascer- tained if there shall prove to have been an excess of receipts over the estimate a further payment

receipts shall be made. (2) If there shall prove to have been a deficiency of receipts compared with the estimate a deduction equivalent to seventeen and a half per centum of such deficiency shall be made from the next pay- ment or payments due for the defence contribu- tion.

5. The said percentage shall be deemed to be a fixed contribution payable by the Colony in full return for the annual cost of the Imperial garrison including the cost of maintenance of all military works and buildings but not including any capital expenditure required for military lands and buildings; provided that in no year shall the sum paid by way of percentage exceed the cost of the garrison for that year.

6. The said percentage shall be paid quarterly on or before the thirtieth day of March, June, September and December in each year into the Imperial Treasury Chest in the Colony on account of Her Majesty's Government.

Passed the Legislative Council of Hongkong, this 14th day of December, 1896.

F. J. BADELEY, Acting Clerk of Councils.

Assented to by His Excellency the Governor, the 22nd day of December, 1896.

J. H. STEWART LockhartT,

Colonial Secretary.