CRISIS DEVELOPING
Twelve Millions On Rolling Stock
244
The nett effect of these changes is to increase expenditure on the Head by $72,261.
Head 5. Colonial Secretariat And Legislature
Estimate 1949-50
Revised Estimate
1948-49
Approved Estimate
1948-49
$1,084,828
900,000
860,169
691,378
The sum of $12,000,000 has been earmarked out of Loan expenditure for new rolling-stock for the Kowloon-Canton Railway, the Financial Secretary, Mr. C. G. S. Follows, reveals in a Memorandum on the Colony's Budget. The Memorandum also reveals that an additional sum of $5,500,000 has been set aside for the new cost of living allowances which were in- accounted for by the transfer of troduced on January 1, 1949.
Extracts from the Financial | exclusively accounts for the in- Secretary's Memorandum:- crease of expenditure under this
head of $284,143.
Head 1. His Excellency
The Governor
Estimate 1949-50
Revised Estimate
1948-49
Approved Estimate
1948-49
Actual Expenditure
1947-48
Head 3. Audit
Department
Actual Expenditure
1947-48
A large increase of $211,859 for personal emoluments is partly
Cadet Officers on leave to the Colonial Secretariat and the pro-
Officers studying Cantonese. vision for four unpassed Cadet In addition, as a result of the aboli- tion of the Development Secre- tariat,
De- the Secretary for velopments is provided for under this Head. A Special Adviser engaged on contract during to deal with matters connected with the establishment of the proposed Municipal Coun- cil has also
for been provided under temporary staff. Provision too is made for a six months' visit by an Efficiency Expert and for the clerical staff which he Consequent on the retirement | may require. Certain increases of the former Director of Audit in staff are also necessary for and a member of the pre-war the Exchange Control Office as a Staff, together with some minor from the Colonial Secretariat to and Accounting result of its transfer during 1948
economies in recurrent expendi- | requisitioned premises. These ture, the provision for this head were authorised during the year has been reduced by $19,594. by Special Warrant.
....
$231,297
Estimate 1949-50 200,000 Revised Estimate
$243,807 1948-49
1948-49
260,000
218.979 Approved Estimate
1948-49
263,401
175,078
240.574
The post of Custodian, the oc- cupant of which has been seconded to duty as a super- numerary Bailiff in the Supreme Court, has been abolished. One post of No. 1 Boy has also been abolished and replaced by a House Coolie. The opportunity has been taken to show in detail the posts occupied by the house- hold staff of Government House. The result of all these changes is a small increase in personal emoluments of $4,918.
Recurrent expenditure during 1948-49 was found to be under- estimated in some cases and in- creases in Incidental Expenses, Publications,
and Upkeep of Vehicles have been made. The rehabilitation of Fanling Lodge was completed during the year and an additional $3,000 is pro- vided for under Fuel, Light and Power for this additional build- ing. The total increase on Other Charges amounts to $7,400. The nett increase of expenditure on the head is $12,318.
Actual Expenditure
1947-48
Senior Clerical
Head 4. Civil
Aviation
Total expenditure on the Head is higher by $224,659.
Head 6. Department Of Commerce And Industry
$834,430
500,000
Estimate 1949-50
762,169
$1,279,079
Revised Estimate
254,590
1948-49 Approved Estimate
1948-49
1,000,000
1,220,714
Actual Expenditure
1947-48
554,370
Estimate 1949-50 Revised Estimate
1948-49 Approved Estimate
1948-49 Actual Expenditure
1947-48 Apart from the transfer of posts previously shown under temporary staff to the non-pen- sionable establishment, the only increases in staff are additional firemen, motor drivers, coxswains, engineers and seamen required to man safety equipment which must be provided for the Air-loaned to the companies to pre- port in accordance with inter- national conventions. A large in- crease of $59,000 is necessary for overtime which, together with $730,228 revisions of salaries and incre-
Head 2. Agriculture Department
Estimate 1949-50 Revised Estimate
1948-49
Approved Estimate
1948-49
1947-48
Actual Expenditure
....
At the request of certain ship- ping companies, additional Re- venue Officers have been engaged as anti-narcotic guards and are
ments on the salary scale, ac- 270,000 count for an extra sum of $120,-
461 for personal emoluments.
vent the smuggling of narcotics on their vessels. When not so engaged, these officers are avail- able for ordinary duties. This provision for this is made under personnel is being increased and
ture is of course offset by re- temporary staff. The expendi-
446,085 Under temporary staff, provi-imbursements by the companies venue receipts in respect of re-
sion is made for a new post of Aeronautical Engineer who is re- quired to deal with certification of air-worthiness of aircraft en- gines and frames, as a result of
the establishment in Hong Kong of a number of aircraft main- tenance companies.
The expanding activities of the Airport have resulted in certain
Of this for
196,720 The large increase in Other Charges of $111,500 is largely ex- plained by the provision of $50,- 000 to cover labour charges in respect of an expanded pro- gramme of farm and animal hus- bandry work and of $32,500 for the prevention and control of livestock diseases. The increased attention to animal husbandry is also reflected in the increase of $10,000 for livestock, feeds, and equipment, and of two new items under Special Expenditure, namely Experimental and Breed- Under Special Expenditure, the ing Station $143,000 and Control
sum of $76,800 is provided tu of Stock Diseases $55,000. In all purchase new crash tenders and expenditure totalling approxi- water tanks required by inter- mately $300,000 is provided for national conventions in order to an extensive programme design- bring the Airport up to specifica- ed to improve livestock in the tion in respect of safety precau- Colony. This programme almost tions.
increases amounting to $11,500 under Other Charges. amount, $6,000 is required fuel, light and power in anti- cipation of a start being made in night flying at Kai Tak.
concerned.
As a result of these and other changes personal emoluments have risen by $70,065.
On the other hand economies in Other Charges have resulted in a decrease of $11,700 in spite of an $10,000 for the printing of trade'
additional provision
the coming year to
It is proposed during
pre-war practice of trade
returns.
of
resume the
publishing returns which will be
available for sale to the public.
The nett increase on the head is $58,365.
Head. 7. Co-operative And Marketing Pending a decision on the fu- ture method of financing both the Fish Marketing Organisation and the Vegetable Marketing Or-