§ MR. ARTHUR ARNOLDasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the attention of the High Commissioner of Cyprus has been specially called to Mr. Fairfield's Report of the following specimen of the work of the assessors at Larnaca, in regard to the Tax on profits of trade or business: — The Manager of the Anglo-Egyptian Bank; the manager of the Eastern Telegraph Company £1; the Agent of Messrs King and Co. 15s.; an English Barrister practising here 5s.; whether native traders are assessed upon this nominal scale; and, whether Sir R. Biddulph has reported that, prior to the remission of this Tax upon the income of Native mechanics, such labouring men were assessed at sums representing incomes of £8 8s. per annum?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYSir Robert Biddulph's attention has not been specially drawn to the passage referred to, because it is merely a quoted extract from a statement of his own. The assessment of this tax is made by the 1470 Muktar and Elders of the Communal Division, and is as inadequate for Native traders as for foreigners. The tax is not considered suitable for the circumstances of Cyprus, where there are even now too many of these paltry taxes; but its abolition has been deferred until it is seen whether the Revenue will bear the loss. It is true that Sir Robert Biddulph reported that incomes of eight guineas a-year were formerly assessed; but, at the same time, he reported that he had abolished the taxation of such small incomes as, in his opinion, preposterous.