362
HONGKONG HARBOUR IN 1903.
(Daily Press, 10th May.)
The most interesting points in the report of M.. BASIL TAYLOR on the Harbour in 1903, the more important parts of which we published in our issue of yesterday, were undoubtedly those connected with the growth of shipping here. 1903 was Hong- kong's record year, beating 1902, the next best, by 2,511,082 tons in the total tonnage entering and clearing. As that total tonnage was not much over twenty-four millions it will readily be seen how great was the pro- portionate increase last year. And as the 1902 figures were larger by 2,203,396 tons than those of 1901, the improvement is evidently not a mere sensational jump, but part of a real advance by Hongkong. Alike in Bri- tish ocean-going tou nage and river steamers, in foreign ocean-going tonnage and river steamers, and in junks in local trade were increases recorded. Only in steam launches trading to ports outside the Colony and in junks in foreign trade was there a falling off If we compare the tables of percentages in Mr. TAYLOR's report and in that of the previous year, we find that British ocean- going tonnage now claims 28.2 of the whole as against 27.94 in 1902, and British river steamer tonnage is now 18.6 per cent. as against 16.52. Foreign ocean-going ton- nage has slightly increased, from 30.25 to 30.51 per cent., while foreign river steamer tonnage has more than doubled, being now 1.81 per cent against the .89 per cent. of 1902. The daily average of steamers, sail- ing vessels, steam launches, and junks in foreign trade entering Hongkong Harbour in 1900 was 68, as against 71.2 in 1902 a fall sufficiently accounted for by the fact that over 2,000 less junks entered in 1903 thau in 1902. For European-constructed vessels alone, on the other hand, the daily average was 19.9 in 1903, as against 17.1 in 1902 and 14.8 in 1901. Under the British flag, there was noticeable in 1902 a decrease of ten in the number of ocean- going vessels, a decrease which, Commander MURRAY RUMBAY observed in his report, lost a portion of its significance when one considered the increase of size in the vessels, as evidenced by a rise in tonnage of over 200,000 tons. But in 1908 the British flag fully recovered from any partial decline, there being an increase of 1,347 ships of 1,678,509 tons, of which 427 ships of 762,845 tons were credited to ocean-going vessels. This ocean-going increase, Mr. TAYLOR states, is principally due to the fact of some new lines having been established- the China Commercial Steamship Company, the British India Steamers now visiting the port, the addition of some new steamets to focal firnis, and lastly to an increase of coal imported from Australia in steamers new to the Port. The river steamer tonnage was increased principally by the addition of the Kinshan and Wing Chai and by the additional sailings of the Hongkong, Cauton & Macao Steamboat Co. The great increase under foreign flags in 1902 was not quite kept up in 1903. In the former year the growth was 1,267 vessels of 1,358,709 tons; last year it was 681 vessels of 1,063,904 tous. The flags gaining in 1903 were those of the United States, of China, of Japan, and of France.
[May 16, 1904.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
cent. being last year's increase. Cotton quer has been tried to the very uttermost entirely recovered from its decline in 1902 The collective mouths of the Finance Com. and increased over 80 per cent. Case mittees of many an English borough would petroleum and flour also took upward turns, water did they only have the number of though not so pronounced. Bulk petroleum wells to draw from at the disposal of the continued to decline, and rice, sugar, and Shanghai municipality. Still, witha!, Shang- timber all fell off after their improvement bai on the score of economy, notwithstand- in 1902. In the total reported import trade ing its possession of these extraneous of Hongkong, we find that 1,218 less vessels, resources, may well put to shame its home but of 1,091,807 more tons, brought 470,392 | compeers. The growth of municipal more tous of cargo; of this latter 32.161 extravagance in England has been of soine less tons were discharged at Hongkong than half century's growth still some ten years in 1902. In export trade 1,343 less vessels, ago the rates were kept down in the but of 1,102,090 more tons, took 111,431 majority of cases to the neighbourhood of less tons of cargo from Hongkong; but five shillings in the pound. Recently, 21,617 more tons of bunker coal were owing to the favourable conditions of the shipped hence,
money market prevailing, municipalities permitted themselves to be tempted into an evil practice of raising loans out of all pro- portion with their current wants; the effects are seen in the steady growth of municipal indebtedness, and the increasing desire to indulge in municipal trading, often to the serious detriment of the towas themselves. The effect has been to plunge the various towns in financial difficulties, and in order to meet their new engagements every source of revenue available has been exploited.
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These figures tend to become tedious, and we shall inflict no more on the reader now. We have perhaps quoted enough to show how firm is the Colony's position in tag shipping world in the absence of any rival near by. It is this position which we have now to defend against the possibility of opposition. And berein lies the enormous importance of the railway question to Hongkong. Until we see the Kowloon Canton Railway built we cannot feel safe.
LAND TAXATION AT SHANGHAI,
(Daily Press, 9th May.)
This of course, rather than any desire for
a juster incidence of taxation, has been the exciting cause in this new proposal tɔ tax land values; in the present temper of muni- cipal wire-pullers the effect would not be to reduce taxation, but to afford a new basis for municipal extravagancs to be as reck- lessly made use of as have the old-sources of revenue now pledged to their utmost limits. Gradually the various municipalities are being unplea saatly reminded that the expansiveness of their revenues has become a thing of the past and that financial ruin or heavy retrenchments are the only alter- natives offering. The new suggestion to increase the burdens on the atepayers, though brought forward under the specious pretext of equalising burdens, is felt to be inerely a
new
device for raising more money, and though a small majority passed the second reading there was exhibited but little inclination, having endorsed the rea- sonableness of shifting an unequal burden, of proceeding further. Historically the example of Shanghai affords but little sup- port to the contentions of the home muni- cipalities. The practice of taxing land values was originally the only source, with a fee for landing cargo, of municipal revenue, but in those days there was no diffe
Ou the 11th March last Mr. TREVELYAN, Liberal Member for the Elland Division of the West Riding of Yorkshire, introduced into the House of Commons a Bill for the taxation for local purposes, over and above present sources of revenue, of land values. The Bill proposed, according to the summary given, as its main principles that in case of undeveloped property the real selling value of the land should be the basis of taxation for local purposes, and that land values should be rated separately from buildings, the land value being taken at an amount equal to 3 per cent. on the selling value. Mr. RUTHERFORD, who seconded the motion, recommended the Bill to the acceptance of the House on the ground that it would stimulate building on land which was now kept out of the market. Doubtless Mr. TREVELYAN in introducing the Bill to the notice of the House flattered himself, not only that he was a reformer of the first water, but that his scheme introduced into Municipal Finance an entirely new and hitherto unthought of principle which he, a reformer by a long hereditary descent, had the privilege of being the first of mortals to rentiation between owners of land and resi. introduce to the notice of municipal man.
dents. It was hot in fact for many years The Alas! for such a conception; an ancient that the idea of any distinction arose. philosopher has said that there is nothing only objects of expenditure in those early new under the sun, and Mr. TREVELYAN'S days were the making of a few roads, actual- grand scheme is no exception to the rule.ly necessary repairs to jetties, and one or With the exception that we must read five two small bridges, and these were naturally per cent. instead of three, owing to the higher undertaken by the owners of the various rates of interest prevailing in Asia, the lots. When after a generation the dwellers scheme of land taxation towards municipal in rented houses came to be a class of their expenses has for some sixty years been the own, and needed such luxuries as lighting, rule in Shangbar, ever since, in fact, the first police, cleansing, &c., it was felt to be unfair foundation of the settlement, and constitutes that the landlord, now often absent, should a very important factor in local taxation. have to bear the entire brunt of these new- Of the amount of nearly one and a half fangled innovations, so a compromise, which million taels raised during the year 1903 did not in appearance seem unreasonable, the sums accruing under each head were in was arrived at; householders for the first the following proportions :-Taxes on land time came to be taxed for luxuries which in direct, 20.6 per cent.; taxes on houses and the progress of events had become neces- buildings, 42.8 per cent.; wharfage dues, saries, but as & set-off were admitted to full Under the heading of Trade, we observe 12.1 per cent., and licence fees, 24.5 per cent. participation in the municipal councils, now net increases alike in imports (21,847 tons), One of the crying evils of moderu municipal no longer of land-renters but of rate. exports (24,252 tons), and transit cargo finance is undoubtedly its growing extra payers. This, and not any doctrinaire (502,553 tons). The great advances of 1902 | vagance, and with the present incidence scheme of shifting burdens, was the explana- in imports (482,476) and exports (126,814 falling almost exclusively on house property, tion of the fact that burdens have been tons) were not kept up, but the transit cargo and amounting on an average to upwards distributed in the baby community of figures of 1902 (237,812 tons) were enor- of eight shillings in the pound, it is Shanghai in a manner which well excites mously improved upon. Of individual im- | little wonder that the ingenuity of the jealousies of the older home municipali
Still it is wise to remember this ports, coal continued to improve, 14 per successive municipal chancellors of exche-ties.
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