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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TLC.O. 882

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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4. The saving on establishment is principally due to a Secretary and Financial Assistant not having yet been appointed, and to the expenditure on police work on the mainland, done by the Chinese Regiment, being very small. The Secretary and Financial Assistant is expected at an early date. Thirty dollars a month have been paid to a Military Clerk to assist me in the preparation of the monthly accounts, and in the conduct of correspondence. That payment will cease when the Secretary and Financial Assistant arrives. Owing to the absence of crime there has been hardly nny expenditure on police work on the mainland.

5. It has been necessary to employ a Hospital Assistant in the Civil Hospital on the mainland, which is a very popular institution, and freely taken advantage of by the Chinese, especially for treatment of eye disease, which is very common, and for surgical treatment. The work is heavy and increasing, and it will be necessary to increase the allowances of the Surgeon in next year's estimates.

6. A payment of $40 per mensem is made to the Wei-hai-Wei City Magistrate, This was found necessary shortly after our taking over the territory, and has been continued ever since. It ensures the goodwill of the Magistrate, and the prompt handing over of criminals who take refuge in the city (which is under Chinese juris- diction), and his attention to sanitary necessities.

7. The gaol on the mainland has only recently been completed, so the full grant for the gaol establishment has not been required.

8. The cost of stationery and telegrams has been considerably in excess of the allowance made for contingencies, stationery, &c., and an increased provision has been entered in the revised estimate.

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9. Under "works," there has been a slight increase in cost of the Assistant Com- missioner's quarters over the provision. This has been due to the necessity of provid- ing offices for him and his establishment, and also of providing a well.

10. No quarters for the Secretary have yet been built as their location depends on whether the Commissioner is to be stationed finally on the island or mainland.

11. There has been an excess on the cost of the gaol, the provision for which was insufficient to allow for the high wall being built round the premises, as has been done, and to pay for the land required to build upon.

12. The purchase of only one Chinese house has been found necessary, but the erection of a slaughter-house, not allowed for in the estimates, was essential, to do away with an insanitary nuisance which existed in Matow.

The rent for the slaughter-house will probably amount to 14 per cent. on the expenditure.

13. An allowance of $1,000 has been made for the erection of quarters for the Assistant Commissioner's Staff, near his house, as Mr. Hare considers it absolutely necessary, the distance his writers live away from him at present being found detri- mental to the amount of work he can get through.

14. The cost of work in making roads has proved very much less than was estimated about 11 miles of coast road will cost $24,600, showing a saving of nearly $12,000 on the provision. Part of that saving has been utilized to put about six miles of the Chefoo road in order. That road was originally made by the Chinese, but was much neglected after the Japanese occupation, and many of the bridges and culverts had been allowed to get into a bad state of repair. The road is of great value to the territory, and the traffic on it is heavy and increasing. Its complete restoration up to the boundary of the British Territory is provided for in next year's estimates.

15. The improvements made to mule tracks have cost much less than expected and are much appreciated by the people. Probably they will soon contribute directly 'to the cost of carrying them out.

16. The pier at Matow was much damaged by bad weather, through faulty con- struction. It has been put in order again and extended so as to allow vessels drawing less than six feet to use it at low tide. In its present state it will probably meet the growing requirements of the port for a year or so, and will then require a further expenditure on it.

17. An increased provision has been made for lighting the harbour to meet the excess of expenditure intimated in Admiralty despatch, M. 7964, of 23rd July, a copy of which accompanied your despatch, No. 25, of the 10th August,* and a_probable excess over estimate in maintenance, in which connection please see my No. 19 of 15th instant.†

* 728.: not printed.

† Not printed.

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18. On 1st August last a small Japanese steamer was subsidised to carry mails twice a week between this place and Chefoo. The contract was made for one year, and the amount of the subsidy is $800 a month, of which $200 is withheld till the com- pletion of the contract period, to ensure execution of the contract: The steamer has for some time been running three times a week, and the master has asked permission to put a larger ship on the work, better fitted to face the rough winter seas. That permission has, of course, been granted. It is evident that the trade of the port with Chefoo, plus the subsidy, is paying more than the steamer expenses.

19. The total of the revised estimate amounts to $125,100, showing a saving of $7,100 on the allowance of $132,500, in the original estimate which saving will be carried forward to meet next year's expenditure.

On the 1st April, 1901, there was a balance of revenue over expenditure of $4,218, and the revenue this year is estimated as follows:-

Land tax

Licenses, Excise, &c. Fees of Court, &c.

$6,500

$11,000

$1,200

$18,700

which makes a total revenue of $22,918 available to meet expenditure. When the estimates were originally framed $20,000 revenue was calculated upon, so that a balance of $2,918 will probably remain to be carried on to next year's estimates. There will also be a municipal revenue of about $6,000 from Matow and Liu-kung-tao municipalities, but this revenue will be entirely utilised in meeting the requirements of these municipalities in the way of conservancy, lighting, street repairs, &c.—an ex- penditure which is not entered in the estimates. It will be observed that the lanil revenue has been very much over-estimated. It is collected from figures furnished to us by Chinese officials, and there is no doubt that the assessment made more than 200 years ago, allows for a very much smaller area of cultivated land than exists.

There has been delay in the preparation of these estimates owing to changes in Naval and Military policy regarding Wei-hai-wei, to the recent change in the Assistant Commissionership (as I was anxious to get Mr. Hare's views), and to Mr. Hare's illness. He is at present on sick leave, but returns in a few days.

I have, &c.,

A. R. F. DORWARD,

Major-General,

Commissioner.

Enclosure in No. 65.

COLONY OF WEI-HAI-WEI.

Revised Annual Estimate for the year 1901-02.

Establishments, &c.:-

Commissioner

Assistant Commissioner Secretary and Financial Assistant Commissioner's Office Cooly

Assistant Commissioner's Office:-

Chinese Writer Chinese Writer

4 Orderlies and 1 Cooly

15,000

5,200 1,000

84

*$480

360

360

·1,200

$600

Allowance to Surgeon

--240

Hospital Assistant

72

Cooly

- Medical Stores and Fuel and Light

288

1,200

Civil Hospital:-

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