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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
ELLECO 885/26
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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In all schedules of taxes, the Customs Tariffs in respect of both Imports and Exports are usually the most important items of taxation, and should therefore be placed first.
In the statement of Customs Duties "Ad valorem" and other general duties should be pripted in capital type, thus:-
"AD VALOREM. On all goods not specifically charged with duty, &c. Such entries are, at present, printed like any ordinary item of the tariff.
The "value on which ad valorem duties are payable should be clearly stated in front of the Customs Tariff in each Blue Book. The authority for the "value indicated.
should also be
The list of goods prohibited to be imported and exported should invariably follow im- mediately after the Customs Tariff.
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.
In these and in any other financial returns which cover more than one page, e.g., Imports and Exports, the headings Brought forward" at the top of the page and "Carried forward" at the bottom of the page are superfluous, and should be omitted.
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.
This statement is in most Colonies satisfactory and correct. In some Colonies, however, it is too detailed, in others, hardly sufficiently.so. The statement should follow the lines laid down in the accompanying memorandum. (Schedule B.)
PUBLIC DEBT.
Statements of Public Debt should show not only the amounts originally raised, and the amount repaid in each case, but also the amount of debt outstanding at the close of the year under review. They should be shown as in the accompanying form (Schedule C.).
MILITARY EXPENDITURE.
This section should be struck out. In many Colonies it is at present left blank.
PUBLIC WORKS.
Details should only be given of the chief public works, e.g., those involving a total expendi ture of £500 or more, whether the work was completed in the year under review or not. Minor works should be lumped together and only their total cost given. In small colonies and pro- tectorates, where few costly or important works are undertaken, the limit of £500 should be reduced to whatever extent local circumstances render advisable. The object should be to eliminate a long list of items of expenditure, which are, even locally, of little interest.
POLITICAL FRANCHISE AND COUNCIL AND ASSEMBLY.
In these and in certain other sections some of the information now given in tabular form might be succinctly furnished in a single paragraph at the foot of the tables. Thus in the return Political Franchise, columns 1, 5, and 6 might conveniently be so treated.
The particulars furnished under the heading Council and Assembly should include a state ment showing the conditions of appointment to the various Councils.
CIVIL ESTABLISHMENT.
This Section in many Colonies occupies a large part-in Ceylon 447 pages, nearly one-half- of the Blue Book. The tabular form used in most Colonies for furnishing particulars under this head follows the model form drawn up in this Office, and contains twelve colums.
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It would seem that these columns might be reduced in number-the rest of the particulars, so far as required, being supplied in some cases by compressing into one column particulars at present given in two, e.g., Annual Salary and "Quarters or Allowance in lieu thereof," or again--" Date of Appointment" to present office and "Date of First Appointment "'; in other cases, i.e., "Whether the Office is held in conjunction with any other office," "Amount of Fees drawn during the year," and "Whether the Officer enjoys any other advantage or profit," by footnotes. The column headed "Period during which the Officer has been absent during the year" might be omitted. If these modifications were made, and if closer printing were resorted to, particulars respecting each officer should be compressible within a single page, instead of extending, as they usually do at present, to two pages. As a result the bulk and length of the Blue Books would be sensibly reduced. A form showing suggested amendments is appended. (Schedule C.C.)
ÚFFICERS WHO HAVE GIVEN SECURITY FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THEIR DUTIES.
A considerable saving of space might be effected by the amalgamation of this section with the preceding ("Civil Establishment") section. If this should be found impracticable, the form should be compressed within the limits of a single page.
Between the sections Pensions and Foreign Consuls a new heading should be added, viz., "Trade Commissioners and Correspondents.” Under this heading should be given the names
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of the gentlemen appointed in these capacities by His Majesty's Government and the Govern ments of the self-governing Dominions.
FOREIGN CONSULS.
In this section the first two, columns should be transposed. The names of the foreign countries appearing alphabetically in the first column, and the names of the Consuls in the second columu.
POPULATION AND VITAL STATISTICS AND MISCELLANEOUS NUMERICAL RETURNS. The latter section should be omitted, but particulars of paupers, of emigration and of immigration should be included with Population and Vital Statistics. This section should also include statistics of infantile mortality as well as an estimate of the population male and female at the end of the year under review (distinguishing between white and coloured) in addition to In cases in which it is important to the figures of the population at the preceding census. distinguish between various races, the number of each race should be given. This should also be done, so far as possible, in the case of immigrants and emigrants,
ECCLESIASTICAL RETURN.
This section might be considerably reduced in length. What is specially required is a statement showing the number of places of worship and followers of the various religions and denominations in each Colony and the extent to which, if at all, any churches are State-aided.
EDUCATION, NEWSPAPERS, And Reviews.
There should in future be one section for Education and a separate section for Government Publications, Newspapers, &c.
Education. This section should show the number of Government, State-aided and Private Schools grouped where desirable according to provinces or the principal administrative areas, should state what fees are charged, whether Government Grants are given and what other expenditure is incurred, indicating the source from which such expenditure is defrayed. The total number of scholars on the roll and the average attendance should be given, distinguishing between boys and girls.
It is unnecessary to furnish detailed particulars in regard to individual primary schools. Particulars of secondary schools should be furnished, and should be at least as full as those at present given.
Such additional information should be furnished, e.g., in regard to technical education and other matters of interest, as the Educational authorities may deem desirable, and as can be compressed within a reasonable space.
(The Sub-Committee considered the question of inviting the advice of the Education Office in regard to this section, but came to the conclusion that educational conditions in this country differ so widely from those prevailing in the Colonies that it would be impossible for the Education Office to advise usefully in the matter.)
GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS, NEWSPAPERS, &C.
The published price of Government publications (if on sale) and of newspapers, &c., should be given, as well as subscription rates, the cost of postage to the United Kingdom, and the address of the London agent if any. Government publications should be distinguished from other publications, and should be placed first.
CURRENCY, BANking; Weights and Measures.
This section would be made clearer if the various items now shown in the headings of the columns were in future set out in three consecutive sub-sections, headed respectively: (1) Currency, (2) Banking, (3) Weights and Measures.
The addresses of the head offices in each case and of the principal agency in the United Kingdom of banks doing business in the Colony should be given.
The information furnished with regard to the average rate of exchange with London should be the average selling rate for demand drafts on London. In Colonies in which British as well as foreign coins are current, the British denominations should be enumerated first.
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.
The trade tables should in future be in the form suggested in the accompanying memo randum by Mr. Henshall, of the Board of Trade (Schedule D.). We endorse Mr. Henshall's recommendations and wish specially to emphasize the importance of classifying imports and exports as indicated' at the end of his memorandum.
Imports should be shown c.i.f. Exports should be shown f.o.b. Quantities as well as values should be stated as far as possible,
SHIPPING.
The tonnage figures should show the net, and not the gross tonnage.
Coasting trade, where such trade exists, should be tabulated distinctly from foreign trade.
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