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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
-Since April 27th
(a) 68 dogs have been shot on the Island, and
(b) 116 on the mainland.
It is quite impossible for the police to ascertain the owners of unmuzzled dogs until these have been captured or shot.
Dogs are only shot when they cannot, or cannot safely, be captured.
4. The carcases of stray dogs shot by Police Officers, are not examined for evidence of Rabies.
THE (1932 SUPPLEMENTARY) APPROPRIATION ORDINANCE, 1933.
THE COLONIAL TREASURER moved the first reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to authorize the Appropriation of a Supple- mentary Sum of Five hundred and seventeen thousand and fifteen Dollars and thirty Cents to defray the Charges of the year 1932." He said: I rise by Your Excellency's command to move the first reading of a Bill intituled "An Ordinance to authorize the appro. priation of a supplementary sum of five hundred and seventeen thousand and fifteen dollars thirty cents to defray the charges of the year 1932." The details of all items making up this sum have already been fully explained to Honourable Members from time to time and bave received the approval of the Finance Committee and of this Council in the usual way.
The detailed statement of Expenditure and the Report on the Finances for 1932, copies of which have already been furnished to each member, give the reasons for the excesses. $517,015.30 represents the total of the supplementary appropriation required under each of the heads exceeded, no account being allowed for savings on other heads. Actually, of course, there was a large saving, the total ex- penditure being $32,050,283, against an estimate of $34,981,661, a decrease of $2,931,378. Furthermore, the expenditure of the year was $1,499,433 less than the revenue, thereby increasing the excess of assets over liabilities from $11,347,629 on the 1st January 1932 to $12,847,062 on the 31st December, 1932.
The estimates for the year were based on $1 equals 1s. and a small surplus of $9,849 was budgetted for, excluding a sum of $1,000,- 000, being part payment to the Admiralty for the surrender of the Naval Arsenal Yard and Kellet Island which was to be met from surplus balances. However, not only was this payment made from current revenue, but even then the surplus on the year's working was $1,499,433. Exchange made this possible, the average rate through- out the year being 1s. 3%d. with a consequent reduction in the number
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