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Hong Kong Annual Administration Reports, 1841–1941
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
No new taxation was imposed during the year. The farm system in connection with Opium revenue was abolished from 1st March and direct Government control substituted therefor.
For the year commencing 1st July, 1914, a new valuation was made of the whole Colony, with the exception of some of the outlying small Chinese villages.
Increases.
The City of Victoria, $170,833 or 16.69 per cent.
The Hill District, $23,700 or 7.93 per cent.
Shaukiwan, Saiwanho, and Quarry Bay, $6,992 or 1.88 per cent. Hong Kong Villages, $31,501 or 23.61 per cent.
Yaumati, $63,275 or 24.11 per cent.
Mongkoktsui, $39,985 or 25.51 per cent.
Hung Hom and Hok Un, $3,676 or 1.24 per cent. Kowloon Point, $76,550 or 15.02 per cent.
New Kowloon, $13,934 or 15.80 per cent.
Kowloon Villages, $5,845 or 6.92 per cent.
The rateable value of the whole Colony amounted to $14,410,103, being an increase of $1,974,291 or equal to 15.87 per cent. over the value of the previous year.
For the period 1905-1914 the assessment of the whole Colony has risen from $10,511,163 to $14,410,103, an increase in value of 37.09 per cent.
The circulation on the 31st December of notes of the three Banks having authorised issues was as follows:-
Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank $23,482,903
Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China $6,071,633
Mercantile Bank of India $1,308,191
$30,862,727
The currency of the Colony consists, in addition to the notes of these banks, of British, Hong Kong, and Mexican dollars and of subsidiary coin.
Foreign note circulation has wholly ceased.
The rate of discount on Hong Kong subsidiary coin, as compared with notes, varied during 1914 between the following limits :--
50 cent pieces 14 per cent. to 131/2 per cent. 20 cent pieces 10 per cent. to 19 per cent. 10 cent pieces 2 per cent. to 141/2 per cent. 5 cent pieces 11 per cent. to 33 per cent. Copper coin parCompared however with the Mexican dollar which is the standard of the Colony the variations were as follows :-
50 cent pieces 14 per cent. to 31/2 per cent. 20 cent pieces 10 per cent. to 2 per cent. 10 cent pieces 2 per cent. to 2 per cent. 5 cent pieces 81/2 per cent. to 91/4 per cent. Copper coin parPage 321