H 11
Wednesday, February 27, 1974
SURPLUS OF $200 MILLION PREDICTED FOR 1973-74
The Financial Secretary, the Hon. Philip Haddon-Cave, today
predicted that the surplus for the financial year 1973-74 would be $200
million.
In his budget speech in the Legislative Council, he said that
the revised estimates of revenue and expenditure were put at $5,276 million
and $4,833 million respectively, yielding a surplus of $443 million.
He said he would ask Finance Committee next month to appropriate
a further $300 million for the Government's equity contribution to the
Mass Transit Railway Corporation.
The Financial Secretary said this sum would be credited to the
Mass Transit Fund and together with the $500 million already in the Fund,
would represent "the agreed figure for the Government's equity contribution
in cash terms for the first four stages of the Railway."
"Thus," he said, "the revised estimate of the surplus for 1973–74
must be reduced by $300 million to $143 million."
However, on the basis of daily receipts and payments recorded in the
Treasury's cash book up to February 18, it could be that the revised estimato
"is a little on the low side; and I predict, therefore, that the surplus
will be $200 million (net of the $300 million for the Mass Transit Fund),
Mr. Haddon-Cave said.
/Speaking on .......