25
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Secretariat for Chinese Affairs Audit Department Treasury ...
Harbour Master's Department. Harbour Master's Department,
Special Expenditure Imports and Exports Depart-
ment
Royal Observatory.... Miscellaneous Services Judicial and Legal Departments Judicial and Legal Depart- ments, Special Expenditure... Police and Prison Departments Police and Prison Departments,
Special Expenditura Medical Department Sanitary Department
57,830 originally estimated at $14,677,898 ik 37,595 now expected to amount to $15.078.600. 88,237 but it must be added this estimate takes 204.348 no account of the result of the purchase and sale of rice during the past three 350 months as it is impossible at present
arrive at even an approximate estimate" 557,675 of what sum will be required to make up
23,671 the deficit on that account.
687,231 067,931
150
1,093,846
Extimates of Revenue for 1920.
The Estimates of Revenue for next year show, I am glad to say, a healthy rondi. tion, for whereas, on the one hand, 20.933 large decrease is shown in the receipt. 295.439 of the Opium Monopoly, the increases in more permanent heads of revenue amount 411,741
to over a million dollars. The estimated Revenue for 1920 is $15,314,800, being $1,569,415 less than the approved estimate 55,091 for the current year, and $1,741.810 less $67,048 than the revised estimate. The principal
10,000
Sanitary Department, Special
Expenditure
75.380
Botanical and Forestry Depart-
ment
Education
Education, Special Expenditure
increases are 1-
Military Expenditure-Defence
Light Dues
$35,0
Corps
71,481
Public Works :--
Light Dues, Special Assessment... Assessed Taxes
Public Works Department
492,106
Carriage. Chair, &c., Licences....
Public Works, Recurrent
785,000 Fines
Public Works, Extraordinary
Post Office
Kowlo-Canton Railway :-
3,073,700 Kowloon (West) Ferry Licences..
291,345 Pawnbroker's Licences
35,000 111,900 17.500 15,360 118,500
:
Working Expenses
Stamp Duties 420,187 Tobacco Duties
Special Expenditure
Pensions
372,904 China Companies' Fees 266,320
64,778
Engagement and Discharge of
Seamen
12.30 100.000 100,000 40,000
$5,000
$11.173,226
Fees for use of Government Buoys Medical Treatment
20,000
12,000
Postage
15.000
Railway
46,500
Buildings
14,510 26.130 11,250 272,000
$1,018.910
(haritable Services
Total
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded
H.E. THE GOVERNOR Honourable members of the Legishtive Council, within a few days of my arrival in the Colony I find myself in the position, on presiding over this Council for the first time, of laying before you the annual statement of the financial position of the Colony and the Estimates of Revenue and Ex- penditure for next year.
It was estimated at this time last year that the balance of assets over liabilities on the 31st. December, 1918, would amount to $4.595.212, but the actual balance was $5,681,138.
It is now estimated that the revenue for the current year will amount to the sum of $17,056,410, or $172,195 more than the original estimate.
Lands not leased Leased Lands (New Territories).. Interest
while the two main decreases are the! amount obtained from the Special War | Rate $1,095.000-and a sum of $1,500,000 less from the Opium Monopoly.
Estimates of Expenditure for 1920.
The expenditure for next year is esti mated to amount to $14.888.473, which is $209,577 more than the estimated expendi ture for the current year. The various increases and decreases in each depart ment and the reasons therefor are full The expenditure for this year under the set out in the Sessional Paper which bast beads in the estimates which Wag
been laid on the table.
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
191
8th
Under the head of Governor, Special and decreases are fully given in the foot-
notes. Expenditure a vote of $10,000 has bena
A sum of $465,000 has been insert inserted for the renewal of Governmented to cover the Special Allowances on House furniture. I regret that I should Salaries which have been granted to the Je in the position of asking for this vote Civil Service pending a general revision
my first appearance as President, but of salaries. the present condition of Government House has been unfavourably commented upon in this Council and, I think. with justice.
In the Colonial Secretary's Department provision has been made for two new Inpassed Cadets, no appointments to the Cadet Service having been made during the war. Cnder Special Expenditure à sum of $650 has been inserted for the
of purchase document prosses and cabinets.
With a view to training a clerk to take charge of the Stamp Office in the Trea sury on the retirentent of the present Higher Grade Clerk, one First-grade Clerk has been added to the staff of the Stamp Office.
In the Harbour Master's Department the posts of Lighthouse-keepers have been divided into two classes, and are not now numbered according to seniority. The post of Principal Lighthouse-keeper has been abolished on the retirement of the holder on pension, and also one post of and. Grade Lighthouse-keeper, while two new posts of 2nd Class Lighthouse krepers have been inserted. A new sub- bead appears, namely. Blackhead'a Hill Signal-station," the staff of which has been re-organised.
Under - Other Charges increases amounting in all to $6,000 have been made, the present votes having proved insufficient. The votes for coal have been reduced owing to the price being lower.
In the Imports and Exports Depart ment the post of Temporary Higher grade Clerk has been abolished, and the sum of $10,000 inserted for the staff for Salt Control is not at present required.
Under *Other Charges
increases amounting to $1,500 have been considered necessary in the vetes for Secret Service and Transport. A large decrease. how ever, occurs in the vote for the Purchase of Raw Opium of $350,000, as it is ex- pected that much less opium will be boil ed next year. The votes for the purchase Control are also not required.
Under" Miscellaneous Services" there ure several increases amounting in all to $1.594, while decreases occur to the extent of $3.231. The reasons for these increases
Miscellaneous Services as a whole, how- ever, show a large decrease. This is due to the large sums formerly voted for War Expenditure not now being required. The decrease under this head amounts to $1,510,219.
Passing to the Judicial and Legal De partments. I would point out that the post of Assistant Interpreter in the Supreme Court has been abolished. It is considered that fully-qualified Chinese In- terpreters are now available for the in- 2nd. required, and terpretation Grade Interpreter has, therefore, been substituted for that post.
0114
Police and Prison Departments,
A considerable increase is shown in the Estimates for the Police and Prison Departments, amounting in all to 871,323. The war being over, we are again able to obtain from home able- bodied recruits for the Police Force, and no effort has, therefore, been made not only to bring the Police Force up to its pre- war strength so far as the European con- tingent is concerned, but also by certain re-organisations to bring the Force int conformity with the needs of the present day. A list of the new posts which it has been considered necessary to make in the Police Department is shown in Ap- pendix II. of the Estimates, and the net increase in Personal Emoluments result- ing therefrom is approximately $37,000. Increases have also been considered neces- sary in several votes under "Other Charges of the Police Department amounting to 834,766, but reductions have been possible in other votes, so that the Det increase is reduced to $12.566. These increases and decreases are fully enumer. ated in the Abstract laid on the Table
The introduction of motor fire-engines has necessitated also a re-organisation of the Fire Brigade. Five new posts of Fire Brigade chaffeurs have been added, two European steam engine drivers have been dispensed with and the number of fire- men has been increased by nine. In creases under "Other Charges" have been required, also, on account of the rise in the cost of materials for repairs and of the increased number of engines that have now to be kept in good order.
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