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Surveyor General.
The net increase of the votes for the establishment of this Department amounts in the aggregate to $16,708. The recommendations which involve this increase have been made only after careful consideration and consultation with Mr. PRICE, the Surveyor General, who, it may be remarked, will himself probably derive no benefit from them, as to the Governor's deep regret, the Colony is about to suffer the loss of his most valuable services, he having applied to retire on the ground of ill health.
The duties connected with the Public Works of Hongkong appear to be especially prejudicial to the health of the Officers. The occasions are rare during the hot season when several of the staff are not incapacitated by illness. During the last month no less than nine Officers at one time were unfit for duty, and many works are thereby unduly retarded. As one instance out of many, the Estimates for the Extension of the Praya in front of the Admiralty and War Office property have, owing to this cause, been delayed for several months; and it has therefore been impossible to submit to Her Majesty's Government the scheme for this long-delayed and supremely important improvement, which, the Governor is most glad to announce, received early in the year the concurrence of the local authorities, Civil, Naval and Military, (the question however of the proportion of the cost to be paid respectively by the Local and Imperial Governments remaining yet to be settled).
The staff as increased by these recommendations will, in the opinion of the Governor, be not more than sufficient for the work which will, under any circumstances, be required in the coming years. A still further, though temporary, addition to the strength of the Department will be required, if there should be an immediate commencement of all the Public Works to which reference is made below.
Police.
The increase of $10,684 in the votes for this Department is principally to supply an addition to the numbers of the Force, required to meet the growth of the population.
Gaols.
The additions to salaries in this Department are chiefly for the purpose of bringing about a very necessary improvement in the staff, the remuneration hitherto given having rarely proved sufficient to be a permanent attraction to good Officers. The increase to the salary of the Superintendent, the Governor has felt compelled to recommend for reasons which will be explained in Finance Committee.
EXTRAORDINARY EXPENDITURE.
With Ordinary Revenue estimated at $1,737,718, and Ordinary Expenditure at $1,394,665, there is thus a balance of $343,053. Certain recommendations which the Governor intends to make to the Secretary of State, but which cannot be introduced into the Estimates without previous sanction, may possibly reduce this balance by a sum certainly not exceeding $60,000 leaving $283,053. Adding to this $150,000 which has been stated as likely under any circumstances to be realised from land-premiums, and $445,000 the probable balance in the Treasury at the end of the present year, there results a total of $878,053 available for the cost of Public Works and to meet unforeseen contingencies.
The Extraordinary Public Works specified in the List accompanying the Estimates are all of them urgently needed. The necessity for their being immediately undertaken no doubt differs in degree; but with the funds available, none of them, in the opinion of the Governor, can be commenced too soon. It will be seen that the utmost sum which is estimated as likely to be capable of being profitably expended on them during the coming year is $637,626. This amount can be readily afforded. For apart from the steady advance which is being shown in all the important items of Revenue, there will almost certainly be in 1890 a still larger surplus of Ordinary Revenue than in 1889, owing to the fact that the New Opium contract will be in force during the whole twelve, instead of only nine, months; while if, as there is reason to hope, the proposed works in connexion with the junction of the East and West Prayas should be, before that time, in progress, there would probably be largely increased receipts from Land-premiums, owing to the impetus which would thereby be given to building in the Eastern district of Victoria.
As regards most of these works, the mere mention of them by name is sufficient to suggest their necessity to residents of Hongkong. One of them, however, the Separate System of Drainage which happens to be the most costly, may possibly require further explanation.
The report of Mr. COOPER, the Sanitary Surveyor, on this subject fully supported as it is by the valuable opinion and judgment of the Surveyor General, has however