# FINANCE COMMITTEE
PRESENT:
COUNCIL CHAMBER,
HONGKONG, 15th January, 1884.
The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, (WILLIAM HENRY MARSH, C.M.G.)
The Honourable the Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).
FREDERICK STEWART.
JOHN MACNEILE PRICE.
PHINEAS RYRIE.
FRANCIS BULKELEY JOHNSON.
ABSENT:
His Honour the Chief Justice, (Sir GEORGE PHILLIPPO).
The Honourable the Attorney General, (EDWARD LOUGHLIN O'MALLEY).
WILLIAM KESWICK,
The Committee met this day according to summons.
The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed.
PAYMENTS AUTHORISED IN EXCESS OF THE ESTIMATES OF 1883, REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY.
SERVICES EXCLUSIVE OF ESTABLISHMENTS.
Postmaster General.
(1.) Read: A letter from the Postmaster General, requesting that a supplementary vote may be taken for the sum of $671, for gratuities to ship masters for carrying mails, the Mail Estimates for 1883 having been exceeded by that amount.
$671.
Vote recommended, as $125 of this sum will be recovered from the Japanese Post Office, and as most of the amount has been already paid in as Postal Revenue.
PAYMENTS AUTHORISED IN EXCESS OF THE ESTIMATES OF 1884, REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY.
(2.) Read: A letter from the Colonial Treasurer, applying for a vote for $180 for a Chinese Writer, to enable the Notice Server in the Treasury Department to devote his whole time to the collection of Municipal Taxes and Crown Rents.
Vote recommended, as an experiment for one year, as the small extra expense is likely to put a stop to the difficulty which has been experienced in collecting Municipal Taxes and Crown Rents, and the revenue will be benefited by not sustaining so great a loss, as hitherto, of interest on the large arrears, which have been long left unpaid.