1841-1886
PAPERS RELATING TO
members alike can have no other object but to secure the general welfare, and to advance the progress of the Colony.
3. For obvious reasons, it is in the highest degree important that this Council should adhere to the constitutional forms followed by the legislatures of the other principal Crown Colonies. The address of the Governor at the opening of each annual session will contain, here as elsewhere, a general view of the financial and social condition of the Colony, and a statement of the Legislative and other measures, and of the public works proposed. So the address of the Council in reply will afford the members of the Legislature the usual constitutional opportunity of expressing their opinion of the conduct and proposals of the Government.
4. Further, in accordance with the practice elsewhere, I recommend you to appoint a Committee of Finance (which should be a committee of the whole Council), a Committee of Laws, and a Committee of Public Works, which should respectively examine in the first instance the details of every proposed vote and measure.
5. After this brief explanatory preface, I will proceed to state generally the principal subjects to which your attention will be directed during the present session. Full details will be found in the papers which will be laid before you, and in the statement of the several Heads of Departments.
6. In the first place, with regard to the paramount question of finance, it is very gratifying to be able to inform you that our position is satisfactory. The revenue of the year 1883 amounted to $1,286,500; and the ordinary expenditure to $1,165,700; leaving an excess of revenue over ordinary expenditure of $120,800. The extraordinary expenditure of 1883 was defrayed from the accumulated balances, and included the-
Tai-tam water works 90,966 Breakwater 22,510 Causeway Bay reclamation 9,000 Purchase of houses and lands for the new central market. 21,000 Sanitary works 30,483 Total 173,959The estimated balance to the credit of the Colony on the 31st December 1883 was $1,095,505.
7. Hong Kong is probably the only state or colony of importance which at the present day is not only without a public debt, but which possesses invested assets nearly equal to its annual revenue. However, the existing balances will not be sufficient to carry out several public works which are urgently required by this community, in addition to those "strong and
Page 673
Page 673
1841-1886
PAPERS RELATING TO
members alike can have no other object but to secure the general welfare, and to advance the progress of the Colony.
3. For obvious reasons, it is in the highest degree important that this Council should adhere to the constitutional forms followed by the legislatures of the other principal Crown Colonies. The address of the Governor at the opening of each annual session will contain, here as elsewhere, a general view of the financial and social condition of the Colony, and a statement of the Legislative and other measures, and of the public works pro- posed. So the address of the Council in reply will afford the members of the Legislature the usual constitutional opportunity of expressing their opinion of the conduct and proposals of the Government.
4. Further, in accordance with the practice elsewhere, I recom mend you to appoint a Committee of Finance (which should be a committee of the whole Council), a Committee of Laws, and a Committee of Public Works, which should respectively examine in the first instance the details of every proposed vote and nicasure.
5. After this brief explanatory preface, I will proceed to state generally the principal subjects to which your attention will be directed during the present session. Full details will be found in the papers which will be laid before you, and in the statement of the several Heads of Departments.
6. In the first place, with regard to the paramount question of finance, it is very gratifying to be able to inform you that our position is satisfactory. The revenue of the year 1883 amounted to $1,286,500; and the ordinary expenditure to $1,165,700; leaving an excess of revenue over ordinary expenditure of $120,800. The extraordinary expenditure of 1883 was defrayed from the accumulated balances, and included the-
Tai-tam water works Breakwater
Causeway Bay reclamation
90,966
22,510
9,000
Purchase of houses and lands for the new 21,000
central market.
Sanitary works
Total
30,483
173,959
The estimated balance to the credit of the Colony on the 31st December 1883 was $1,095,505.
7. Hong Kong is probably the only state or colony of import- ance which at the present day is not only without a public debt, but which possesses invested assets nearly equal to its annual revenue, However, the existing balances will not be sufficient to carry out several public works which are urgently required by this community, in addition to those "strong and
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