A (1) 18
Kowloon Canton Railway.
A saving of $27,173 on locomotive coal resulted from the lower contract price. $99,200 was voted for two additional Second Class Coaches but as the under frames did not arrive from England only $13,090 was spent.
Volunteer Defence Corps.
Four Vicker Guns and spare parts showed a decrease of $5,873 owing to higher exchange. For the same reason Anti gas equipment cost $2,112 less than anticipated.
Charitable Services.
Expenditure on Aberdeen Industrial School was $8,150 less than estimated during the year; $5,000 on General Charities Organisation was not required owing to Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital being taken over by Government and $14,800 of the $20,000 estimated for the Mercantile Marine Assistance Fund was not drawn on.
Charge on Account of Public Debt.
Savings of $154,996 and $44,098 for interest and sinking fund respectively on the 3½% Sterling Inscribed Stock were effected owing to the higher exchange.
Pensions.
The under-expenditure on this vote of $341,883 can be attributed almost entirely to the higher sterling value of the dollar.
Public Works Department.
$10,679 less than estimated were required for Conveyance Allowances. Higher Exchange effected a saving of $5,933 on Repairs, Stores and Current. Orders for Additional Transmitting and additional Receiving Equipment were held over pending decision and accounted for a total under-expenditure of $121,419 against $243,000 provided.
Public Works Recurrent.
Less maintenance work caused a saving of $10,055 on Buildings and $6,222 on Drainage. $52,350 less than anticipated was required for the maintenance of City and Hill District Water Works mainly due to the lower contract rate for coal. Upkeep and Repairs of Water Meters were $12,894 and $7,228 lower than estimated in Hong Kong and Kowloon respectively. The vote for Maintenance and Improvement of Road and Bridges was unexpended by $6,110.