Theory and Practice To the Editor of the "NoxtisCutwa Datty News"
Su—Lately one of the many Chinese who suffered heavy losses_in the Eastern District during 1937 called on me and explained that the building for which T had made the plans about five years ago, on Iand leased by him, was completely destroyed and he had now been informed that the remaining materials would be removed if he. would not produce quickly a permit for rebuil.ling.
1 found "out that the land. taxes had not been paid for the whole of 1997/98 and 1989, and that, without having squared "this account, Hermit would be granted; such' pavment, I was told, to be made through the registered owners. As the beneflelat owner, responsible for the pay rent of the'land taxes, has left town since the outbreak of the local hostiliies in 1997, my client was willing to make the outlay, The next day the registered owners were given a cheque with a short explanation of the ease and were requested to for= ward it to the SM.C., Revenue Department, Now the matter becomes interesting for the public, The registered owners replied by giving mea statement of their own charges outstanding, and termi me to this sum when they" pleased to forward taxes to the years the ratepayers waited for the taxes fo be paid, and now, when the money is forthcoming, they shall have' to wait unfit the' registered owners -have received payment. for their own charges from the right oF wrong person; 1 refused to stand for In my reply 1 guaranteed payment of these charges if they had always been paid by the leasesholder but refused to do s0 if they had always been paid by the beneficial owner, T maintained my standpoint during conversation with the registered Owners on the telephone after they had received my letter, when the following question was put to me "Why, do you think, did the SMC.
that payment must be made through us?" replied, that 1 found. this quite natural as the registered owners are responsible for the pay-iment of such taxes, "No, sit," was the reply: "this is done in order to protect the registered owners:
Now I know! In theory, the SMC. bhoy no such intentions, but in practice, their adopted policy works 'Out this' way.
My cheque was then returned to me and I was told in plain terms that the registered owners will accept instructions from any person but the beneficial owner; in other words, the S.MC. and the rate-I have to wait until Messrs, the registered owners have had their own way.
"As time was the main factor, my client was willing to pay also the charges, but in the meantime the re= istered owners had received structions from the representative of the beneflelal owner, so they told me, to obstruct the granting of the build ing permit until the lease-holder had paid outstanding rent. If the re-ulstered owners were in touch with accepted Instruction from this representative, why had they not found him for payment of the tand taxes regularly in proper time? Is-the S.M.C, willing to protect such practices? T don't believe it, In order to learn how this taxpaying business is really handled, 1 coltered my cheque personally (0 the SIN.,, Revenue Department; 1 was well received and was given' alt the information T wanted, but my cheque could not be accepted.
And here is what I learned from this ease theory, the beneficial owners have no standing at the Land Onices lund In law, the registered owners only are treated as the real and responsible owner. In practice the re-fistered owners have succeeded persuading the S.M.C. {0 recognize the existence of the beneficial owners by granding. quasi-unlimited respites to registered owners, when something woes wrong, To what extent advantage is taken at this "Tenieney my" ease "clearly Of course, big amounts are involved but 1 do not see why the ratepayers should be the sufferers, and why the business men, who have made for-Aunes out of this registration business, should not have to face the other side involved in every business Why should the ratepayers make loans to registered and/or beneficial owners of land in local currency, free of interest, and finally accept devalued currency whilst they have pay increased rates, ete, for mak-Ing sterling payments and for square ing yearly the. balance sheets LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (continued)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.