The net result of the above figures is that on the transactions of last year, the Colonial gov't surplus was $335,000. To this must be added a surplus of $46,000 on the year ending 28th December 1899, making the balance in hand on the 1st January 1900 $431,000.
For 1900 the Estimated Revenue is $3,325,000 and the Estimated Expenditure is $3,219,918. The Estimated surplus is therefore $105,521.
But the following extra items of Expenditure must also be taken into account, though they do not appear on the Estimates.
1. Para 10 & 11 of Despatch No. 287/98/4 - Clerkships $2,280
2. Para 13 - Straw Tender $6,800
3. Para 14 - Police Magistrate $4,800
4. Para 16 - Steam Pinace $6,600
"Police Launch of $60,000 at 3.75% $50,000
Increase of Civil Salaries (in 250/374) (say) $25,000
Arms for Police (see 34/478) $14,000
Increase of Chinese Employ's Salaries not sanctioned (see 49/94) $14,000
Stormwater Drainage (see 27/26) $8,200
Post Office Increase of Staff (see 4/2) $6,000
The Expenditure on the above items in 1900, $137,480, will turn the Estimated Surplus of $105,521 into a deficit of about $31,959, or at least $14,000, which must be paid for out of the balances on 1st Jan'y, and these will thereby be reduced to $291,000.
Under these circumstances, it is rather awkward to find five Unofficial members of the Legislative Council (vide their memorandum) urging that a large proportion of the impending Public Works should be taken in hand at once.
The sixth Unofficial member, Mr. Whitehead, preaches in a similar strain in his Protest enclosed in 194/0.
Now it will be remembered that we urged on you last year (vide 939/98) the necessity of introducing fresh taxation; you, however, demurred, doubtless after sounding the Unofficial members of the Legislative Council, and we found ourselves compelled reluctantly to defer insisting on fresh taxation.
We may mention that the cost of certain extra works is as follows:
1. Sanitary Staff (see 939/98) $2,600
2. Asst. Eng? O.W.D. $2,400
3. Waterworks Stores (vide 32/08) $20,000
Total $25,000, and some other extras.
There has been no Expenditure on this account in Tel: (1 the four months of this year, but this is inexplicable as in fact $90,000 has been spent.