# REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE OF 1882.
The Accounts of Receipts and Expenditure for the past year, which have been already published, shew a surplus of Revenue of $114,712.16,
The Receipts were $102,657.08 in excess of the Estimates for 1882, and $88,720.31 in excess of the Receipts for 1881, excluding from consideration the sums paid as Premia on land sales, which in the year 1881 amounted to no less than $203,659.20.
The increase shewn under the head of Opium Monopoly is owing to one of the monthly instalments for 1881 having been paid in 1880, whilst there were twelve instalments recovered in 1882. The increases under the heads of Rents of Land, Stone Quarries, Police and other Rates, Postage, Fees on Shipping Seamen, Fees on Surveys of Steam-ships, Registry of Vehicles, Medical Fees on Emigration, and Light Dues, all indicate healthy progress in the prosperity of the Colony, and the considerable decrease under the head of Stamps is in my opinion not unsatisfactory, as the high figures shewn by the accounts of 1881 were attributable to the wild speculations in land which collapsed at the commencement of 1882. The collections in 1882 under this head exceeded those of 1880 by nearly $27,000.
The sum of $18,339.77 which was received last year for Premia on land sales is not shown in the return of receipts, as it has been decided, that receipts from this source should be considered as Capital and not as Revenue, but this amount has been duly brought to account, and is included in the Assets of the Colony on 31st December last.
As regards Expenditure, the Estimates for 1882 have been exceeded by $43,191, and the expenditure of 1882 has exceeded that of 1881 by $113,223. Works and Buildings account for $63,744 of this latter increase, and Roads, Streets, and Bridges for $6,639.
Comparing payments with Estimates for the past year, the following have been the principal excesses:——
Works and Buildings, $19,274.57 Miscellaneous Services, $25,061.60 Pensions, $13,762.93 Medical, $5,128.212. Miscellaneous Services include:
$4,098.70 for expenses connected with the Sanitary Commission. $3,363.94 furniture for Government House. $8,221.93 Reception of the Princes, $3,795.67 for photographs of Hongkong.I may here state that it has hitherto been found impossible to obtain any definite offer for the photographs which the Secretary of State directed should be disposed of
3. Pensions include $6,000 to Sir JOHN SMALE since lapsed, and an increase in Police Pensions.
4. Medical is principally on account of the heavy expenses for rations, diet, &c.