CO882-(1-2) — Page 23

سلتيسيا

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

1

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

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libeality, commensurate with the high estimate

he had formed of the colonial revenue, at a moment when he supposed it to yield an annual surplus of 70,0001, and to present an accu- mulated saving of a quarter of a million sterling in the cash chest (Lord George Bentinck's Com- mittec, 16,713).

The fixed salaries and permanent charges of the colony have not hitherto been included in the Supply Ordinance. They form a separate head, and are paid not ur der a vote of the Legislative "Council, but by authority of the Secretary of State. The sam voted for contingent expenses by the Council, in the Supply Ordinance of

1843 1844 1845

was £141,000 150,000 168,000

""

each in addition to the permanent charges of the fixed establishment.

In ordinary years the expenditure of the colony is carried on under the authority of the two ordinances, one "The Supply Ordinance," passed before the commencement of the year, in anticipation of all its probable charges-the other "The Supplemental Supply Ordinance frained towards the close of the year, to make provision for any votes omitted or insufficient in the first.

But on my arrival at Ceylon in November, 1845, I found expenditure going on not merely under two, but under five supply ordinances, each

applicable to the service of that year:—

1. The ordinary supply ordinance, amounting to £168,469

2. A supplemental supply ordinance

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31.824

44,303

3. A second ditto

17,643

4. Au ordinane to apply a portion of the sur- plus of 18:3 to certain public works

31,344

5. An ordinance to expend a portion of the sar-

plus of 1844 on public works

$293,785

In addition to this estimate for fixed establish-

ment, prusions, &c.

226,122

+£8 19,907

446 232

Leaving autherized bat unexpendid

£71,675

And on the actual revenue of the year

$54,166

After deducting the expenditure

448,232

There was a saving of ....

$5,914

So that t'e authorised expenditure of the year

was no less than

But of this sum there was spent both of surplus

and current revenue only..

=

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It seems to me that this year must therefore be exempted from the censure of Mr. Anstruther, as to " gross extravagance" of expenditure, be yond the amount justifiable by the income.

XII-Expenditure of 1848.

The Supply Ordinance for 1846, provided for a contingent expenditure of 166,1191. voted by the Legislative Council, in addition to 245,9457. for the fixed establishment. It was prepared, submitted, and passed by the Legislative Council, by Mr. Wodehouse in September, 1844, some time before I arrived in Ceylon.

There was already alarm for the prospects of the income, notwithstanding the favourable anti- cipations of Mr. Anstruther; and Mr. Wode- house, in preparing the draft of the despatch, sending home the Supply Ordinance for 1846, for Her Majesty's confirmation stated (despatch 11th October, 1845, No. 202) that another fluctuation was expected in the cinnamon trade and in the sale of Crown lands, highly unfavour- able to the prospects of the revenue; but not- withstanding this, that he “had found it neoes- sary to estimate the ordinary expenditure sanc- tioned by Her Majesty's Government at 244,5067., being no less than 18,8841. above the estimates for the same expenditure in 1848,"

the increase being mainly attributable to cer- tain additions recently made to the fixed esta- blishments of the colony, which are enumerated in the despatch; and which had bean recom- mended by the Governor within the year or two previous.

And not only were these additions to the fixed establishment to be provided for, but Mr. Wodehouse went on to enumerate large addi- tions to the contingent and extraordinary ex- penditure for public works and spezzlemariat, which the despatch declared to be skoglutely indispensable.

XIII.—Mr. Anstruther's additions to facd Expenditure,

In Lord, Corge Bentinck's Counties, 1858, whan the subject of this incream of expenilliare