COLONIAL REPORTS.
The following, among other, reports relating to Her Majesty's Colonial Possessions have been issned, and may be obtained for a few pence from the sources indicated on the title page :-
No,
ANNUAL.
Colony.
Year.
219
Lagos
1896
220
Gold Coast
学节
221
Labuan
222
British Guiana
"
1896-97
223
Rodrigues
1896
224
Basutoland
1896-97
225
Jamaica
14
226
Bechuanaland Protectorate
227
Leeward Islands
1896
228
Bermuda
1897
220
Gambia
""
230
Turks and Caicos Islands
231
Barbados...
SIR,
>>
232
Lagos
وو
233
St. Vincent
27
234
Sierra Leone
235
Falkland Islands
>
236
Straits Settlements
237
British New Guinea
1896-97
238
Bahamas
1897
239
St. Lucia...
"
240
St. Helena
241
Trinidad and Tobago
242
British Honduras
""
34
Leeward Islands
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
3
No.
HONG KONG.
(For Report for 1896, see No. 209.3
ACTING Governor BlaCK to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
Government House,
Hong Kong.
31st August 1898.
I HAVE the honour to forward to you the Blue Book for 1897, together with the subjoined report on that year.
Mauritius and Rodrigues
Malta Fiji
Subject.
5
>>
2
Economic Agriculture. Forests.
Geology and Botany.
MISCELLANEOUS.
No.
Colony,
1
Gold Coast...
2
Zululand
3
Sierra Leone
4
Canada
5
Bahamas
Sisal Industry.
&
Hong Kong
7
Newfoundland
8
Western Pacific
9.
Dominica
10
Virgin Islands
11
Grenada
Emigration.
Bubonic Plague. Mineral Resources.. Solomon Islands.
Agriculture.
.
FINANCES.
The revenue collected during the year amounted to $2,686,914.70, as against $2,609,878,94 collected in the preceding year, and as against $1,427,485.79 collected in the year 1887: this shows an increase of revenue during the last ten years of $1,259,428.91 (or approximating to 100 per cent.), whilst the population, during the same period, has only increased by 35,759 or 1679 per cent.
The receipts from land sales during the year show a decrease of $48,358.40, but this is necessarily an uncertain and, in a sense, a speculative source of revenue during any fixed period, the receipts on other more settled accounts are necessarily more satisfactory.
Under the more reliable items of revenue the following most substantial increases are shown as compared with the year 1896:--
Assessed Taxes
26,924,21
Stamps
36,699.20
Official Signatures
13,895.11
Queen's College Fees
3,512.00
Sunday Cargo-Working Permits.
4,275,00
Condition during 1897. Agriculture in Carriacou,
Postage
23,336.15
Leased Lands
24,516.31
Interest
4,576.84
Profit on Coins
4,819.71
Water Account
21,207.41
704-6-10/98 Wt 21620 D & S-5 (B)
Hong KoXGA 1897.
P
471