The present year commenced with an Excess of Assets over liabilities of nearly £43,000. The ordinary revenue of the Island - Exclusive of the sale of Crown Lands - may be Estimated at £70,000. It is derived chiefly from three sources, 1st Rents of lands, houses, and markets; 2ndly Licenses, of which those for the sale of Spirits and Opium are the most remunerative; and 3rdly a Police and Lighting Rate, being a tax upon houses for the maintenance of the Police throughout the Island, and for lighting the City of Victoria. The ordinary Expenditure, Exclusive of public works, may be calculated at about £50,000, thus leaving about £20,000 available each year for extraordinary Expenditure, and public works.
The only public works of any magnitude that now remain to be carried out are the New Gaol, and the Water supply for Victoria; the former is being pushed forward with all despatch, and the latter is to be commenced forthwith. The cost of these undertakings will amount together to about £60,000, which will be met by the balance at present in hand, and by the annual surplus revenue, as the works will extend over several years.
The Registrar General's return which accompanies the Blue Book affords much curious and interesting information in reference to the population, which on the 12th January last was estimated at...