No. 48
76
38.
Government House,
Hong Kong,
24th July, 1946.
+
RECEIVED
Encl.1.
Sir,
8- AUG 1946
C. O. REGY
25
With reference to your telegram No.416 of the
28 29th June and in confirmation of my telegram No.570 of the 12th July, I have the honour to transmit a statement showing Expenditu under the various heads of the Estimates for the period ending 31st March, 1947. A brief summary containing explanations of the larger variations on the 1941 figures is also attached.
2.
The estimated expenditure on other charges relates to the eleven months period from 1st May 1946 to 31st March 1947.
On the other hand the provision for Fersonal Emoluments covers
the full period of a year in most cases since the salaries of officers not in uniform have been always charged throughout
against Hong Kong funds.
3.
For the first eight weeks after the re-establish- ment of Civil Government, revenue receipts averaged just over one million dollars a week. Trade is improving and from now onwards receipts from the duty on petrol should gradually increase as more cars become available to the general public. Other revenue items
show signs of improvement, and consequently, in spite of the ract
that there will shortly be an appreciable reduction in Navy and
R.A.F. personnel which will affect receipts from Entertainment
Tax, I feel justified in increasing the Revenue Estimate from the
original figure of $45,000,000 to $50,000,000. When it is
considered that this rate of revenue collection which is equivalen
to over £3,000,000 a year exclusive of Income Tax has been reached
only ten months after the liberation of the Colony, I think you
The Right Honourable
George Hall, F.C., M.P.