293
No. 22
HONGKONG.
THE ASSESSOR'S REPORT ON THE ASSESSMENT FOR 1894-95.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of
His Excellency the Governor.
ASSESSOR'S OFFICE,
13th June, 1894.
SIR,-I have the honour to submit my fifth Annual Report, on the Assessment for the year 1894-95.
2. By order of His Excellency the Governor in Council, I have made a new Valuation of the City of Victoria, the Hill District, Kowloon Point, Hung Hom and Yau Ma Ti; the existing valuations of all other villages and places being adopted for the ensuing year.
3. The result of the new valuation is that the rateable value of the Colony as a whole has increased by $50,651 equal to 1.39 per cent.
4. There is an increase of $34,140 or 1.08 per cent. in the rateable value of the City of Victoria. 5. For the first time since 1890-91 the rateable value of the City of Victoria shews an increase as compared with the preceding year. This result is owing, in a large measure, to an apparently decided check upon rental depreciation, the reductions from this cause being only $59,000 against $129,340 last year and $145,720 in the Valuation of 1892-93. The gain, in rateable value, from new tenements, and property increased in value is $93,000.
6. The Hill District, Kowloon Point, Hung Hom and Yau Ma Ti all shew improved rateable values, aggregating $8,590 or 2.79 per cent.
7. In the rest of the Colony, i.e., the Chinese Villages, there has been an increase in the assessed values of $7,921 or 4.28 per cent., which arises from new tenements having been rated for the first time since the last valuation.
8. From 1st July, 1893, to 1st June, 1894, Interim Valuations were made as follows:-
In the City of Victoria.
117 new tenements, rateable value,
22 improved tenements, rateable value,. Replacing Assessments amounting to
Increase,
In the Rest of the Colony.
8. new tenements, rateable value,. 3 improved tenements, rateable value, Replacing Assessments amounting to
Increase,
$46,520
$ 8,735 8,080
655
8,730
.$ 1,920 1,800
120
$56,025
Total increase from Interim Assessments,.
9. The number of houses, &c., reported to be vacant, and inspected under section 35 of the Rating Ordinance has been about 2,500. Last year I estimated the number at 3,500.
10. I attach Table 4, giving a comparison of the Valuations for 1893-94 and 1894-95 of the City of Victoria, the amount increased or decreased in each of the ten Districts, and the net increase; Table B, a similar comparison for the Hill District, Kowloon Point, Hung Hom and Yau Ma Ti; and Table C, a summary for the whole Colony.
11. There has been no change in the staff. Mr. CH'AN PUI, Clerk to Assessor, and Mr. IP YUK Pui, Interpreter-who has been placed on the permanent establishment,--have continued to discharge their duties satisfactorily.
The Honourable N. G. MITCHELL-İNNES,
Colonial Treasurer.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
ARTHUR CHAPMAN,
Assessor.