probably
have exceeded them
Revenue by
more than
$65,000. I request you
to inform
me
whether I am
right in assuming
that the
Expenditure given in this
Return
($2,611,762) includes a
special sum of $95,000 contributed by the Govt. to
the Jubilee Fund, and I
would also ask why
in
the
Balance & Insets 1896 in
Enclosure $533,021 is
given as
instead of $548,964 as
stated in Enc. 4.
Whatever is the explanation of these two points, the figures show
that the present year begins with a debit balance of at least $52,000.
3. Under these circumstances I do
not consider it prudent to propose to spend
nearly
$17,000
less than the Estimated Revenue of 1898, and
I regret that I must
direct that reductions should be made in the
Estimates of Expenditure to the extent of at least $307,000.
4. This can only be effected by postponing several of the new Roads and other works proposed
to be taken in hand
this year,
under the
head "Public Works,
Extraordinary". I leave it to you
to decide
which
works can
be postponed
with the least inconvenience. But I am inclined