Appendix A (1).
REPORT ON THE FINANCES FOR THE YEAR 1916.
REVENUE.
The total revenue for the year amounted to $13,833,387 being $2,424,377 in excess of the estimate and $2,047,280 more than the revenue in 1915. Compared with that year there were increases under all the heads except Light Dues. The Railway was an additional disappointment in comparison with the estimate for the year itself.
2. The principal sub-heads showing real increases over the estimate are as follows:-
(a) Sunday Cargo Working Permits,
(b) Liquor Duties,
(c) Opium Monopoly,
(d) Stamp Duties,
(e) Land Sales,
(f) Tobacco Duties,
$ 51,000
163,000
1,560,000
66,000
200,000
211,180
The increases are due under (a) to the shortage of shipping, (b) to increase in rates of duty, (c) to rise in sale price of opium, (d) to more Probate Duty, and (e) to land having been more in demand than expected; whereas (f) is an entirely new item.
3. The principal decreases were :—
(a) Light Dues,
(b) Liquor Licences,
(c) Railway,
(d) Conservancy Contracts,
$ 24,500
16,000
66,000
35,000
Of these, (a) was due to the shortage of shipping, (b) to fewer applications, (c) to disturbances in Kwongtung, and (d) to the default of the late Contractor who was largely in arrear with his payments owing to disturbances in Kwongtung.
EXPENDITURE:
4. The total expenditure brought to account amounted to $11,079,915, being $802,859 less than the estimate, and $4,069,353 less than the expenditure in 1915. Compared with the estimates there were decreases under 21 heads as against 4 heads where there were increases. The excess, amounting to $41,595 under Harbour Department was on account of purchase of Buoys postponed from 1915, and to extraordinary repairs to the "Stanley", and that of $205,205 under Miscellaneous Services to loss on exchange and transport of prisoners to Australia.
Military expenditure was larger by $72,375 on account of the excess revenue in 1915 and Public Works Recurrent accounted for an extra sum of $44,472, chiefly arising from Typhoon and Storm Damages and repairs to the dredger St. Enoch.