1841-1886
STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS. 495
HONG KONG.
93
(No. 25.)
No. 38.
HONG KONG.
No. 18.
Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor BONHAM to Earl GREY.
MY LORD,
Victoria, Hong Kong, March 12, 1849. (Received May 31, 1849.)
I HAVE the honour to forward the fifth Blue Book of the colony, being for the year 1848.
Revenue.
2. The revenue of the last year, as contrasted with that of 1847, exhibits a decrease of £6006 2s., that for 1848 being only £25,072, whereas in 1847 it amounted to £31,078.
£ s d 1,589 17 0 1,412 3 1,344 15 5 (76 13 * 1,821 #3* 1,316 0 10An inspection of the comparative statements of the two years, at pages 28 and 29, proves that this decrease has been caused by the resumption of lands by Government to the amount of £1344 7s. 5d., and a difference against 1848 of £4761 13s. 6d., between the amounts of arrears of rent and current rents during the two years 1847 and 1848; the decrease in 1848 being £1888 1s. 7s. in the arrears, and the increase £1412 7s. 3s. 6d. in the current rent collected; for the half year ends on the 25th December, and between that day and the 31st, rent for that half year to the above amount was received, which, if such early payment had not been tendered, would have been received in 1849; by the loss of rental by the transfer of the Albany-buildings from the Civil to the Military department; by decrease in the receipts from the Opium Farm, arising from the substitution of a system of licences in lieu of a strict monopoly, the former being in force during the whole of 1848; by the spirit licences being for uncertain periods, and from those for pawnbrokers and auctioneers having expired on the 30th November, by which there is only a credit of one and three months respectively under these heads, instead of 12 months as during 1847, which will however be regained in the present year. The fees, moreover, of offices, fees of courts, fines and forfeitures of courts, were very considerably under the sums received in 1847. A decrease of £680 1s. 5s. 10d. in several items of revenue has also taken place, as shown in the comparative statement, forming together with the sums above enumerated, a total of £6803 7s. 14s. 4d.; but as the year 1848 exhibits an increase of £797 1s. 0s. 7d. on other items, which should be deducted therefrom, we have a net decrease for 1848 of only £6006 7s. 13s. 8d., as stated at the commencement of this paragraph.
Net decrease for 1848 £6,008 13 9
Expenditure.
3. The expenditure for 1847 amounted to £50,959, whereas the last year exhibited a sum of £62,308, making an increase of £11,349 for 1848, which admits of explanation as follows:-
The expenditure on account of fixed establishments and contingencies amounted in 1847 to £34,154 5s. 6d., while that of 1848 was £39,132 1s. 0s. 7d., showing an increase of £4977 1s. 15s. 11d. This increased expenditure is, however, not real, but arises from the new regulations from the Commissioners of Audit, dated 1847, having commenced with the last year, in conformity with which one month's salary of all the departments for the year 1847, together with their contingencies, and three months' salary of the Governor, amounting in all to £3991 15s. 8d., were paid in January, 1848, and are consequently included in that year's expenditure, though virtually belonging to 1847, as has been brought to the notice of your Lordship in my Despatch, No. 13, of the 27th January last. To this sum of £3991 15s. 8d. must be added an item of £985 19s. 4d., being the balance of increase on contingent expenditure for 1848, making a total of £4977 1s. 15s. 11d.
The miscellaneous expenditure during the same periods amounted to £16,805.
Lass • 44 30 19: 539 10 373 3 6 476 8 1 648 1 3 680 5 10 6,903 14 4 797 0 7 3,901 15 8 585 19 4 4,977 15