876 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 17TH AUGUST, 1895.
4. The rateable value of the property in the enclosed area of Taipingshan resumed by the Government under Ordinance 8 of 1894 amounted to $58,805 including the old Taipingshan Police Station which was leased at an Annual Rent of $360, and excluding 6 tenements not rated for reason of occupancy, viz., free school and temples.
5. For the ensuing year therefore the rateable value of property in the enclosed area of Taiping- shan amounting to $58,805 has been omitted from the Valuation List of Tenements in the City of Victoria.
6. By including Interim Valuations, and increasing the rateable value of several tenements some- what under assessed, the amount of valuation for the City of Victoria for the new year 1895-96 is $3,160,874 as against $3,179,999 for present year, or a decrease of 0·6 per cent.
7. The Hill District, Hongkong Villages and Kowloon Peninsula shew an increase as compared with the preceding year, arising from new tenements having been rated for the first time, and aggre- gating an increase of $25,503 or 5·02 per cent.
8. I attach a tabular statement giving a comparison of the valuations for 1894-95 and 1895-96 for the whole of the Colony.
9. The number of tenements reported vacant, and inspected under section 35 of the Rating Ordinance has averaged 250 monthly, a number somewhat in excess of any corresponding month in the preceding year. The above number, however, does not include some 60 tènements outside the enclosed area of Taipingshan which were closed during the plague and unfit for human habitation, and at this date remain unoccupied.
10. The result of the valuation for the new year has, I venture to conclude, proved satisfactory. when taking into consideration that an extensive building area (Taipingshan) representing 417 tenements has been exempted.
The gain in rateable value of the Colony has been $6,378 for the ensuing year or 0·17 per cent. 11. There has been no change in the staff. Mr. CHAN PUI and Mr. IP YUK PUI have continued to discharge their duties satisfactorily.
I have the honour to be,
The Honourable A. M. THOMSON,
Acting Colonial Treasurer.
LOCALITY.
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
CHAS. C. MALSCH, Acting Assessor,
THE COLONY OF HONGKONG.
VALUATION 1891-95.
VALUATION 1895-96.
INCREASE.
DECREASE.
$
The City of Vietoria,
3,179,999
3,160,874
19,125
Hongkong Villages and Hill District,
216,987
238,364
21,377
Kowloon Peninsula, .
291,308
295,434
4,126
3,688,294
3,694,672
25,503
19,125
Deduct Decrease,.........................
19,125
Total Increase,..........
6,378
0.17 per cent.