1841-1886
415
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
249
HONG KONG.
No. 18.
Governor Sir A. E. KENNEDY, K.C.M.G., C.B., to The EARL OF CARNARVON,
MY LORD,
Government House, Hong Kong, June 14, 1875.
I HAVE the honour to transmit the Blue Book of this Colony for 1874, together with the following report thereon:---
Revenue and Expenditure.
No alteration having been made in the imposts from which the revenue of the Colony was to be derived, the amount collected in 1874 was in close accord with 1873, the revenue of the former having reached the sum of $854,799.91 (178,083l. 6s. 3d.) as against $847,324.35 (176,525l. 18s. 1d.) in the latter.
In respect to postages and stamps there was, I regret to point out, a falling off of $12,548.73 (2,614l. 6s. 4d.), but as this was more than compensated by an increase of $18,788.59 (3,914l. 5s. 9d.) under miscellaneous receipts, land revenue, and rents, and as greater buoyancy is being already exhibited with regard to stamp dues; the past revenue may be viewed with satisfaction and the future for 1875 without apprehension.
In reference to the expenditure of the past year it amounted to the sum of $921,479.54 (191,974l. 18s. 1d.) and was consequently in excess of the preceding year to the extent of $131,605.12 (27,417l.). This great increase was chiefly under the head of works and buildings for typhoon repairs, hospital site, post office at Shanghai, markets at Wanchai and Saiyingpoon (corrected to Syingpoon as per original), water-works, lighthouses; and it is a source of much satisfaction to find that notwithstanding this heavy outlay on works of great importance and the unlooked for charges caused by the typhoon, there was in the Treasury on the 31st December 1874 an excess of assets over liabilities of $156,177.18 (32,536l. 18s. 3d.).
Legislation.
The seven Ordinances passed in 1874 were:-
No. 1. To give the governor the powers vested in the Board of Trade, by sections 12 and 13 of the Merchant Shipping Act, of ordering the survey of any ship which was considered defective in hull, equipment, or machinery, or by reason of overloading or improper loading.
No. 2. To provide a pension of 100l. per annum to Mr. Simpson, late a sorter in the General Post Office.
No. 3. To consolidate the Ordinances relating to Chinese passenger ships and the conveyance of Chinese emigrants.
No. 4. To authorise the appropriation of a supplementary sum not exceeding $32,000 to defray the charges of 1873.