HONGKONG.
353
No. 18
90,
REPORT ON THE BLUE BOOK AND DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS FOR 1889.
Laid before the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency
the Officer Administering the Government.
1.-TAXATION.
There have been no changes under this head.
2.-REVENUE AND EXPENDiture.
The Revenue amounted to $1,978,274.73, or excluding premiums from Land Sales to $1,823,549.13; and the Expenditure amounted to $1,833,718.79, including Extraordinary Works; excluding these, to $1,459,167.16.
The Revenue and Expenditure for the past five years have been:—
Extraordinary
Expenditure, including
$475,147.24
Year.
Revenue.
Premiums from Land.
Ordinary Expenditure.
Defensive Works.
1885,. .$1,251,889.70 1886........
.... 1,367,977.74
$ 66,658.50
$1,146,103.15
34,731.59
1,195,236.81
825.624.84
1887,. ...... 1,427,485.79
1888, 1,557,300.03
1888,.......
................
155,238.02
1,278,181.68
744,820.38
160,688.64
1,461,459.64
530,870.03
1889, 1,823,549.13
154.725.60
1,459,167.16
374,551.63
3. LOCAL REVENUES.
The Chinese inhabitants contributed in 1889, by voluntary assessment among them- selves, to the pay of the District Watchmen,
and received from the Government for the same object a grant-in-aid of
4. ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.
.$7,350.13 2,084.00
On the 31st December, 1889, the assets of the Colony exceeded its liabilities by...$505,109.87 (a) The surplus assets in:-
1884, were 1885,
$729,562.02 ..$427,692.42
In 1886, the liabilities exceeded the assets by ......$191,512.29
In 1887, the surplus assets were..
1888,
No new loan has been raised.
Do.
.$ 631,374.08 (b)
.$ 360,649.76
5.-PUBLIC DEBT.
Amount of Sinking Fund, £17,680.
Amount of present Loan, £200,000.
6. MILITARY EXPENDITURE.
The Military Expenditure (inclusive of the Volunteer Corps) defrayed by the Colony during the
last six
years has been as follows:-
Military Contribution, exclusive of Defensive Works, and
inclusive of Volunteer Corps.
1884,
1885,
1886,
1887,
>
1888,
1889,
.$114,498.78
.$117,337.00
$124,561.68
$128,815.63
$134,594.68
.$134,261.12
· Defensive Works.
Defensive Works.
$ 3,464,64
£
650. 0.4
$ 68,153.45
$217,901.45 $258,444.28 $ 62,115.90
£12,576.10.2
£39,230. 0.0
£43,710. 7.6
$ 63,753.73
£10,036. 4.0 £9,678,14.5
(a.) This included a sum of $50,000 debited to the Post Office, it has been ascertained that this sum has been embezzled by the Superin. tendent of the Money Order Office.
(3) A loan of £200,000 having been raised during 1887 to be paid off on the 1st of March, 1907,