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THE ESTIMATES.
MEETING OF FINANCE COMMITTEE.
A meeting of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council was held yesterday afternoon. to consider the Estimates for 1889 and the Sup- plementary Estimates for 1887. The Colonial Secretary (Hon. F. Stewart) presided, and there were also present-Hon. E. L. O'Malley, At- torney-General; Hon. H. E. Wodehouse, Acting Colonial Treasurer; Hon. W. M. Deane, Captain Superintendent of Police; Hon. P. Ryrie, Hon. Wong Shing. Hon. J. Bell-Irving. Hou. B. Layton, and Mr. A. Seth, Clerk of Councils.
SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES FOR 1897. The CHAIRMAN-I suppose the Committee will deal with the Supplementary Estimates for 1887 first. The sums provided in 1887 amount- ed to $2,005,030, and the sums expended dur ing 1837 to $2,023,002.06. This gives an excess of expenditure of $17,568.06. The amount to be voted, however, is $194,468. The reason of the difference is that we cannot make use of any of the balances that have accrued to the Treasury from certain specific works. Turn- ing to the establishments we find an increase of $2,495 for the Governor, due to the difference in exchange in salaries drawn in England at 4s. 2d. The amounts for the Treasury come to $1,096,54, of which all the items except the last two, drawing instruments, law books, and certain contingencies, which could not be foreseen, have already been voted by the Legislative Council. Then in the Surveyor-General's Department there is an increase of $2,959,36. All the items! came before the Finance Committee and were approved by the Legislative Council. In the Postmaster-General's Department the first item has already been approved by the Finance Committee. The item of $300 for arrears of Post Office Agent at Hankow is due to some difficulty about the office. The Post- master did not seem to be doing his work to the satisfaction of the Postmaster-General, and the result was that the salary was not paid until the Postmaster-General was satis- fied that every thing was right. There is $629 for contingencies for new postage stamps, &c., which could not be ascertained when the esti mates were sent in. In the Harbour Depart- meut, the excess is $2,408.84. This is all for items which had to be paid in consequence of the establishment of the Superiutendency of Imports and Exports in connection with the re- gistration of opium. For the Observatory there is one item of $300 for a telegraph line and another of $702 for instruments, books, &o., which could only be ascertained when they were received. The excess in the Judicial was due to the salary of the Chief Justice and the Attorney- General being paid in England. The excess in the Ecclesiastical was due to the same cause. In the medical department there is an item al- ready approved by the Legislative Council, $325, for repairs to the Health Officer's steam launch. In the Gaol there is a small increase according to agreement in the salary of the Assistant Warder and an increase of $556 cansed by dif- ference in exchange in the salary of the Superin- tendent paid in England. In the Fire Brigade there are some salaries not yet provided for. We now pass on to the services exclusive of establish- ments. There is an item for rent to a temporary Inspector of Nuisances which has already been provided for. In the Civil Hospital there is an increase of $2.906 for provisions, medicine, in- struments, washing, &c. These have not yet been before the Council, and the amounts could not be ascertained in full till the end of the year. The reason of the increase is owing to the increase in the number of patients. There is a small in- crease in the Lunatic Asylum and Small Pos Hospital, which could not have been foreseen. Then there is the Police Magistrato's Depart- ment. There is an item of $165 for post mortem examinations owing to the increased numbers of CASOS. There was also a sum of $10,810 for pass- ages, arms. bedding, &c., which could not have been foreseen. The items for works and build- ings have all been before Council, and have been approved except the last item. Then we coma
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to Roads, Streets, and Bridges, 54,000, which has been approved by the Council, and $1,500 for land and houses purchased, als Erg Council. In the Miscellaneous Serrices the first four items have been approved by Council. The others could not be foreseen. There is $2.120 for expenses of Law Revision Commission, $1,044 for temporary Land Surveyor, $497 for Report on proposed steam tramways. 35,317 for scavenging the city and villages, and $3,072 for loss of exchange in family remittances.
Hon. J. BELL-IRVING What is this item--- Report on proposed steam tramway, $407 ?
The HAIRMAN-It was obtained when the question of reclamation was being considered and especially in connection with Canseway Bay. The question arose of how best to join the two portions of the town, and a report was asked to be made by some person at home as to how it would be best to secure steam tramway commu nication between the two parts of the town. It may be of use some day although it is not at present and, it was thought well to have infor- mation on the subject.
Hon. B. LAYTON asked how the item for ex- penses of the Law Revision Committee was made up.
The CHAIRMAN said there was $120 a month for the Secretary and $30 for a clerk.
Hon. B. LAYTON asked if the results of the Commission had ever been published ?
The CHAIRMAN said a great number of the Ordinancos passed last session were sent up by the Law Revision Commission, and he believed the Attorney-General had a large number in his hands at present which had been sent in by the Commission.
Hon. B. LAYTON-Are the labours of the Commission still going on?
The CHAIRMAN-Yes.
Hon. P. RYRIE-Who is the Secretary ? The CHAIRMAN-Mr. Leach, and I may add that his knowledge of the law has been of im- mense assistance to the Commission.
Hon. W. M. DEANE suggested that the item "loss in exchange on family remittances," should ba stated as "equalisation of exchange."
Hon. B. LAYTON--It is a loss to the colony. Hon. W. M. DEANE-It is not a loss in ex- change. The item occurs because the salaries have to be paid at the rate of 4s. 2d. as agreed.
Hon. B. LAYTON-Well that is a loss to the colony, and has to be made up because Govern- ment servants are paid at an arbitrary rate.
Passing on to extraordinary expenditure, the CHAIRMAN said with regard to the Tytam Water Works, the sum voted was $150,000 and the expenditure $230,811.
Hon. B. LAYTON asked if any account would be given of this expenditure.
The CHAIRMAN-Yes; I thought the Surveyor General would have been present, otherwise I should have come prepared with it.
Hon. B. LAYTON-It seems to me we ought to have some papers on the table giving particulars of this big expenditure.
Hon. J. BELL-IRVING-I suppose the addi tional expense means that they have been going on faster with the work.
The CHAIRMAN-That is so.
Hon. B. LAYTON-I think we ought to get a statement of what has actually been spent up to date.
The CHAIRMAN-If you wish it, it can be done-a report on the expenditure of the Tytam Water Works from the commencement up to date.
Hon. B. LAYTON-I think we ought to have it. 1 know the amount expended is over what was estimated.
The CHAIRMAN-It was first estimated at so much, and then it was found necessary to increase the estimate. Then it was resolved to heighten the dam, and that entailed further expense.
Hon. B. LAYTON-It is a big work, and we ought to have some idea of what it cost.
The CHAIRMAN--I have no doubt that from various reports of the Surveyor-General the details could be obtained, but you want, I take it, a report in a succinct form, showing the outlay at a glance, and I shall see that it be laid on the table.
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