113
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
The Bill provides for the following expenditure:
Governor
Governor, Special Expenditure Colonial Secretary's Department
and Legislature
85,601 1,500
Colonial Secretary's Department and Legislature. Special Ex- penditure
Secretariat for Chinese Affairs
Audit Department
Treasury
Treasury, Special Expenditure Harbour Master's Department Harbour Master's Department,
Special Expenditure Imports and Exports Department. Royal Observatory
Royal Observatory. Special Ex-
penditure
Miscellaneous Services
Judicial and Legal Departments.. Judicial and Legal Departments,
Special Expenditure Police and Prison Departments....
Police and Police Departments,
Special Expenditure
Medical Department
Medical Department, Special Ex-
penditure
Sanitary Department
Sanitary Department, Special Ex-
penditure
Botanical and Forestry Depart-
ment
Botanical and Forestry Depart-
mont, Special Expenditure Education
Education, Special Expenditure... Military Expenditure:.
Volunteers
Volunteers, Special Expenditure Public Works:
Public Works Department Public Works Department,
Special Expenditure Public Works, Recurrent Public Works, Extraordinary
Post Office
Post Office, Special Expenditure... Kowloon-Canton Railway
Charge on account of Public Debt. Pensions
Charitable Services
Total
86,885
900
HIS EXCELLENCY-My remarks in connection with this Bill have been print- ed and are in the hands of each member, so that with your permission I will take a leaf out of the commercial book and ask you kindly to allow them to be taken as read. I am sorry that this year the Estimates have been brought before you so late. The delay has been caused by 61,288 the excessive amount of work in the 33,444 Colonial Secretary's Office owing to the 67,990 war, and also to the unfortunate illness 251 of the particular clerk, Mr. Kotewall, 181,897 whose duty it is to prepare the details of these Estimates and an abstract of them 250,180 year by year, a duty which he performs in 984,519
a most efficient manner, and therefore, 24,445 the time for the consideration of the Estimates I wish to ask you to curtail as 2,600 much as possible. It is necessary, under 912,262 instructions, to have these Estimates 274.823 home before the end of the year, that is to say, in time to enable their considera- tion to be completed before the end of the year. It will therefore be necessary to send them home by the mail of the 7th November, and if hon. members will kindly complete their consideration within the next fortnight of these Estimates, I shall be very much obliged. 1,500 That will give them a fortnight, and if 379,943 they will kindly take note of the last paragraph of the printed address, and 11,850 avail themselves of the suggestion therein, perhaps their consideration of the 49,175 Estimates would be facilitated.
I may
870 952,130
61.504 249,759
also say that owing to the pressure of 1,530 work and the shortage of staff in the 851,029 Colonial Secretary's Office, the abstract 2,794 of these estimates has not yet been prepared. It is an abstract that is made 54,568 entirely for the use of the office and the 22,746 Secretary of State, but I have been in the
habit of lending it to unofficial members, 458,363 and it certainly facilitates consideration. You can see from it at a glance exactly 1,275 how the increase in expenditure of each 580,800 department is arrived at. I hope to have 2,229,785 that extract ready within the next four 464,107 or five days, and as soon as it is prepared
7,545
I will send it to the senior unofficial 823,455 member, who no doubt will circulate it 9,077 amongst unofficial members, and I have 308,000
not the slightest doubt but what they will 26,402
find it of very great value.
$9,615,692
THE COLONIAL TREASURER second- ed.
HON. MR. HEWETT-Your Excellency, as your Excellency is aware, the usual custom is for the Governor, when he makes his Budget speech, to go into a great many details, and, of course, it is of very great advantage to those of us who have
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
more
the privilege of criticising the Budget to hear your Excellency go into detail as you go along. Listening to a speech by your Excellency is a great deal instructive than merely reading a printed notice such as we have before us this afternoon. Until your Excellency spoke just now I had no idea you were going to ask for anything more than has always been done before, that is to say, to have a fortnight's consideration. I have not had an opportunity of speaking to any of the unofficial members except the senior unofficial member, but we quite realise the great stress of work thrown upon the Government generally, and your Excel- leney in particular, during the very strenuous times in which we are now living. I can assure your Excellency that the unofficial members desire to help your Excellency in every possible way, and the Government, instead of giving us the usual fortnight to consider these estimates-
HIS EXCELLENCY-It is a fortnight.
HON, MR. HEWETT--I understand, but I think we can put it through in a week if necessary. The Estimates are so fully contained here that the abstract to which your Excellency refers, even if it comes at the last moment, we might do without Therefore, if it is any convenience to your Excellency to take the matter this day week instead of this day fortnight, I think unofficial members will be glad to meet you. I understand that is the view of the senior unofficial member, and I have no doubt the other unofficial members will endorse it, although, of course, we would prefer to have a fortnight.
HIS EXCELLENCY-I am glad to hear that my voice is so melodious that it is preferred to a written statement. I thought that probably hon. unofficial members would be rather bored by my merely reading а. written document. However, next year I hope I will be in a position to deliver the speech orally. I think we can manage to get our estimates home if we meet this day fortnight. I would not like to curtail the time at your disposal-the usual time is a fortnight, and even that is somewhat short, and I think a week would hardly be reasonable. If hon. unofficial members take a fortnight we will manage to fit in our arrangements accordingly.
114581
The Governor's Address
HIS EXCELLENCY'S address was as follows:-Honourable Members of the Legislative Council, in accordance with the usual procedure, I propose to give you a brief summary of the present financial position of the Colony. In view of the effect which the war is having on the trade of the Colony it has been necessary to revise the Estimates of Revenue, and I will indicate under the proper heads the reductions which have been made.
Financial Situation
on
When the Estimates for 1914 were placed before you it was anticipated that the balance of assets over liabilities 31st December, 1913, would amount to $2,361,232. This estimate was more than realized, the sum actually brought to account being $2,659,425. According to extraordinary revenue is expected to yield the revised figures for 1914 ordinary and $11,330,830 or $1,577,870 more than was estimated. On the other hand the total Expenditure which was originally estimated at $10,595,856 s now expected to exceed that figure by $568,024. These estimates if realised will result in a surplus on 31st December, 1914, of $166,950, and this sum added to the balance of assets accrued on 31st December, 1913, will give a balance of assets on 31st December, 1914, of $2,826,375.
|
Estimates of Revenue, 19:5
$1,426,800;
The Estimates of Revenue for the coming year show a gross increase of $1,654,672. The principal increases, of which explana- tion will be found in the footnotes, occur in the items Assessed Taxes $233,200; Boat Licences $51.500; Carriage, Chairs, etc.. Licences $6,500; Liquor Licences $28,000; Opium Monopoly
Pawn- brokers' Licences $7,000; Engagement and Discharge of Seamen $8,500; Fees for use of Government Buoys (new item) $30,000; Public Schools Fees $24,000; Sunday Cargo Working Permits $5,000; Water Excess Supply and Meter Rent $15,000; Coaching Through Traffic, Kowloon- Canton Railway $76,000; Miscellaneous, Kowloon-Canton Railway $7,000; Leased Lands (Crown Rent) $7,000; Markets Rent $10.000; Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Contributions $11,600.