PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
6
TTC.O. 882
سيلتينيسيا
124
5 Notice was given yesterday by Mr. Gébert for the reduction of the salaries of a number of heads of departments, and of the better-paid officials, but it is Dr. Laurent understood that no reduction is to take effect till the next vacancy. has also given notice of his intention to move for reductions, and I am glad to be able to report that the gravity of the financial situation is being realised by the Unofficial Members generally.
I have, &c.,
16032
7580
SIR,
GRAHAM BOWER,
Officer Administering the Government.
No. 147
HONG KONG
WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received March 3, 1909.)
[Copy to Governor, March 5, 1909, No. 47. L.F.] [Answered by L.F. transmitting copy of No. 148.]
War Office, London, S. W., 2nd March, 1909. WITH reference to your letter of 14th March, 1908, No. 9067/08,* regarding the Hong Kong contribution for the calendar year 1907, I am commanded by the Army Council to send you a copy of a letter, dated 30th March, 1908, from the Colonial Treasurer to the District Paymaster, Hong Kong, from which it appears that the total of the monthly contribution during 1907 fell short of the amount actually payable (20 per cent. of the gross revenue exclusive of land sales) by $64,590.66.
The monthly payments were as follows:-
$
11 instalments at 102.467.08 -
1 instalment at 102.467.12=
Add:
Balance paid in March, 1908
$
Contribution paid
1,127,137.88
102,467.12
1,229,605.00
64,590.66
1,294,195.66
This contribution would be payable on a revenue of $6,470,978.30. The assess- able revenue is, however, shown in the 1907 Blue Book as $6,442,529.96, or $28,448.34 less than the revenue on which the contribution appears to have been calculated.
The Army Council would be glad if an explanation of this discrepancy could be obtained.
125
(No. 95.)
MY LORD.
No. 148.
HONG KONG.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received May 13, 1909.)
[Copy to War Office, May 21, 1909. L.F.] [Answered by L.F. transmitting copy of No. 151.]
Government House, Hong Kong, 7th April, 1909. I HAVE the honour to forward a report by the Colonial Treasurer, explanatory of the discrepancy in the amount of military contribution payable in respect of the year 1907, which was asked for in your Lordship's despatch, No. 47 of 5th March.*
I have, &c.,
F. D. LUGARD,
Enclosure in No. 148.
Governor, &c.
HON. COLONIAL Secretary,
THE explanation is that the Treasury paid over to the military authorities locally the 20 per cent. calculated on the draft returns of revenue and expenditure as soon as they were prepared and examined as to correctness of the balances.
It was subsequently decided to transfer the amount at credit of "interest" to set off the interest payable on advances for railway construction, thereby reducing the amount of revenue on which military contribution was payable, to the extent of $28,448-34.
I regret that, for some months after the publication of the annual accounts, the fact that the local military authorities had been over-paid was overlooked, but, my attention having been drawn to the fact, I decided that the deduction on account of such over-payment should be made on the occasion of the final payment in settle- ment of the 1908 accounts.
A. M. THOMSON,
Treasurer.
6th April, 1909.
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6
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDONİ
SIR,
Enclosure in No. 147.
I am, &c.,
R. H. BRADE.
Treasury, Hong Kong, 30th March, 1908.
I HAVE the honour to enclose herewith two cheques for $98,798.16 and $64,590.66, being military contribution respectively for the month of March, and the difference between 20 per cent. on the revenue exclusive of land sales for the year 1907 and the amount of contribution paid during that year.
Two receipts in duplicate are enclosed, which kindly return duly signed and
attested.
The District Paymaster,
South China.
• Not printed.
I have, &c.,
J. M. THOMSON,
Treasurer.
SIR,
No. 149.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
WAR OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received 21 May, 1909.)
[Answered by No. 150.]
War Office, London, S.W., 20th May, 1909. WITH reference to your letter, 43619/08, of 3rd December last,† regarding the Straits Settlements military contribution for 1907, I am commanded by the Army Council to invite your attention to the fact that, in the statement of revenue for- warded therewith, the principle of assessing net instead of gross receipts has been applied to the revenue from "Government Buildings let for Profit." In view of the opinion expressed by the Treasury in their letter to your Department, dated 22nd June, 1899, that each case to which it is proposed to apply this principle should be previously considered on its merits by the three Departments concerned, I am to request that full particulars regarding this source of revenue may be furnished.
It is also observed that a deduction of $177,024.69 has been made in respect of the "portion of Liquor Farm Rents carried to the Improvement Fund under Section 113 of Ordinance 19 of 1906.” Although this Ordinance affects the amount of the contribution no previous notification regarding it appears to have been made to this Department, and, in view of the fact that under the Military Contribution Ordinance the sum payable to Army funds is to be calculated on the gross revenue (subject to
L.F. transmitting copy of No. 147.
↑ Not printed.
‡ No. 12.