CO129-115 - Sir MacDonnell - 1866 [9-10] — Page 46

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MEETING OF THE HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, JULY 25.

PRESENT.

He Excellenoy the Gururnor.

The Hon. the Acting Chief Justice.

The Acting Colonial Secretary.

The Bon, the Attorney General,

The Ilon, the Colonisi Treasurer,

The Hon. Mr. Whit all.

The Hun. Mr. Dent.

The Hon Mr. Gitb.

of 10th 166

44

and fear war financial state, is not improving, to leave the health of the town impaired through even by taking the most far acuble view of matan inadequate amyly of water, andthe very im ters, an the subject le due into which I have gone į perfeer drainage which pollutes a great part of it; very fully. There was, according to the Auditor nor do I believe that you are prepared to forego General, at the end of last year a surplus of culs in the least degers, anything which you consider 3108,000--and at the close of the current year it the duty of a liberal and enlightened Govern. there will probably ho o ly a vemical surplus ofment to undertak and go through with. asante amounting to $85.000, including therein all I have nos es ventured to strike cut roses for arrears of taxes, and a large sum of £17 020 ster ornamenting puilie grounds planting of trees, and

The new unofficial members, Mr. Gibb and Meling which the Colony holds in bills on the Agraj such things as are not merely worssary in the

Dont were sworn in by the governor, Tie mi- nutes of the last meeting having then bean read and charmed,

His Excellency Ja'd on the table an Ordinance for incorporating the Rongkong and Shanghai

Bank.

ME. WHITTALL without opposing the motion drew attention to the state of the law in this colo-

and Masterman's Bank.

most meagre semptation of the term, but are Thas daring the Srst six months of this year symptoms of a r Band and civiliand tone in the we ahail hve exponded our Rerense by $75,000, sommunity. I do not believe t should truly in and it is probable that during die last six months terpret your wishes if I were to do so. I have we shall exceed it by $28 600, or nearly $100,000 therefore judged it better to meet the orisis by not during the whole year. Is reasoning thus I have abandoning any paeful work or evident duty, aceepted a calculation of the Auditor General that merely because it entaila expense. I prefer in- from the 30th June to 31st of next December theserting all that I think consists with our duty, ng with reference to banking, particularly as Colonial Revenge will be $390,000, and the Ex- the position of the Colony, and the natural ex- i-lustrated by a reosat decison by Mr. Whyte penditure $103,000, but I am neverbotess bound ¦¦ pectations of thres whose affairs we administer- in an actin for the recovery of money on notes to say that I have received mare unfavorable com- and trusting on you to make good the deficlonoy, of the Agra and Masterman's Bank. The ardiannes putations from others, and I certainly think the I have therefore propoend an expenditure of now proposed would confer upon the Hongkong views of the Auditor General go to the extreme $970,000 inalaifug $165,000 for Public Works, und Shanghai Bank, power not only to issus enter of the favorable aspect of our aŬairs, which it though I do not baliere you will have really a up to an aeonst bearing a certain relation to the would be prodent in this Council to adopt as the revenue of more than $852,000. capitai hat to carry on exchange operations to basin of any Legislative policy or action,

There will thus be a deficit on the year of nearly a limited extent, fur the only restriction

Moreover it would be unsafe to suppose that $120,000, and I apprehend that you will find it was that assets and liabilitice should be equal even the above nominal surplus consists of assets expedient to make pood that deficiency by in. while the quality of the asseta was net ragulated || readily available, as part of those assets is in Fingereased taxation in some form, and i know of nons in any way.

land-some, like the subsidiary evine soon ex-less objectionable than the Stamp Act which has HIS EXOBLIENCY promised to give the subject pected ore or may he in transitu when wanted, proved & source of no much profit to the Singa- his attention before the ordinance same on for and part enosie's Gfurrears of taxes,consequent.pore Clovernment with so little injury to the com- a sound routing and on this understanding ity it is quite a possible con'ingones that tho Co-

munity. lony although having nominally available assets, impunity from any taxation-in the ordinary

Hongkong hos birtherte enjoyed a remarkable may be obliged to borrow money in the course of sense of the west. Excise and Customs duties

wae read a first time.

fellows

TAN BUDGET',

are bere unknown, while the only taxes payable partako rather of the character of Manielpal rutes

than contr butions to the General Govenmont

His ExcelEsex then addressed the Council as the next few months to enable it to meet its engu-

gements.

The really important point bewevar to ocnsider the fact, that during the last six years-despite which here occupies the position and di charges of much elasticity in minor Branches of Revenue the duties of a Monicipal body. -the Colony has cxpended more than half a mil- j No doubt is complete freedom from taxation, Hon af dollars of his capital in the shape of Pre-combined with the wonderful advantage of its mina recived for land—and though its Rave-Geographical position, havo made Hougtong nue otherwise as largely increased during the what le converted an insignificant fishing same period it overtheless is certain that the village into a magnil sie et city-avd rendered time is approaching when the whole of the sur- it the depot for the enormous and increazing cota - plus capital will have been used up-and if the expenditure be continued on the same soule, there will be a considerable deficit.

In laying before you the estimates for the year 1867 and moving that the Bill rating the requi.is site supplies be read a free time. I dish is better not to defer to the second reading certain ex- planations, which it girou early are more likely to assist your deliberations than if witheld to a later period.

The Colony is approaching a new and pecnliar phase, in its history end it will require the exercise of much prudence and forethought on the part of this commeil te pilot the re-sel of the state safely through the difficulties that are gathering round it, One thing at least we can do, viz, ascertain the present cract francial state. of the Colony, and though enquiries of that nature lead often to unpleasant surprises nevertheless a fearless for tiny of the position is the most effective aum- monerment for solving such difficulty.

I propose we undertake that serutízy, and the more thoroughly to understand the position of the Colony, I invite you to go back a few years and ascertain the proportions borne by the Revenas to the Ezpenditure.

Taking the six years from 1880 to 1965 we find the following amounts received and expended.

EXTENDITURE.

347,476 526,233 587,634

REVENUE,

2452.003

161

610,737

1842

63,260

1883

576,204

(804

037.814

626,305 703.608

188%

43,41

TOTAL.

$3,781,574

$37,895

$3.718.550

Thua in six years whilst we find the Revono steadily increasing til from $131.000 it had risen tu upwards of $843,000 or nearly double fis amount in 1860, we also find the expenditure in- cressing as nearly in the same proportion, that at the end of these six yeara there was only the slight difference of $3,721 in favour of the revenus, over ‚expenditure for that period.

mercs of these Eastern Seas. It is desirable therefore to preserve these advantages, and it is because I believe that here, as at Singapore, so similar in any respects to this colony, a largand-

Ingres with the Auditor General in arcribing this great and progressive deficiency in the assetsition may be made to the Revenue by a Stamp Act without entailing the depressing effects which of the Oulony, to the heavy expenses attending

It is possible however that some wiser measure may be proposed--and if so, we can discuss the question now merely wish to announce that whilst I forl obliged to come before you with es- timates neessarily exhibiting a large deficit, and a deficit which there is no reasonable hope of anon seeing disappear, I also rely on your providing permament funds to racet that defleit, in perfor ance to aband wing any expenditure esanti to the maintenacee of order and safety, and tha improvement of the health and general conve- airnce of the Community.

the establishment of the Mint together with the might follow other taxation that I suggest this heavy annual cost of the same. The capital sunk policy, na tha honi which circumstances permit. in the Mint. including ground, machinery, build. inge, &c., has already exceded $350,000, and the anual cost including wear and tear of machinary and interest on capital is nearly $150,000. For all this outlay the Golony has hitherto received nothing in return, nor in there any immedia prospect of the experiment paying its expenses. The latter are in this country and climate found by experience to be so much beavier than at home la proportion to the amount, of work dene that the experiment is in various particulars more bazardous here than elecwhera, Nevertheless I consider the progress recently made by the very zealous and hard working staff of the Mine is so encouraging, that I have felt justified in putting down 360,000 as likely to be earned by the csin- blishment next your, and to diminish so far the present ant al expense, leaving, however, the Co. lory still a probable loser of more than $80,000 by the speculation in 1967,

As it is impossible to permit the continuance of an annually increasing deficit we must devise a remedy. This may be done in two ways.

let by diminishing your Expenditure. 3ndly by increasing your Revenue.

I presume no member of this Council would wish to vote for the abolition of the Mini till it be more clearly ascertained, whether the expe. rimant may not pri succeed better, nepecially

Looking first in the Bereant yon will and that arge portion of its increase, was derived from premimes, realised by the sale of Land- and that out of the total smnuut $370,973 1 eceived as pro- when all the andsidiary coinage is produced us || miums for land sold, since the foundation of this the establishment. Yet she mint has been the Colony, no less than $307,856, were received du. || príncipal nouse of recent deficiencios.

lecting the sanitary precautione rendered neoas- sary by this climate-by diorinishing our Police and otherwise declining to advance with the times, or to meet the increasing exigencies of an increased population,

This is not the time for going into details, and without detailed explanations I am aware that many of the items in the proposed estimates must appour somewhat unintelligible, especially as Porte BiC connected with others to be carly submitted to you, but not yet formally before the Council. Therefore, T shall be glad, if angiom- ber of Council will, between this and next meet- ing, ark explanations from the Auditor General, or myself, and meantime as soms assistance t you, I lay ou the table a comparative State- ment of the estimated expenditure of 1866, com - pared with that estimated for 1867-togetline with explanations of the cists of the decrease and increase in cach item.

The New OWDINANCES. The New Ordinances were thes introduced one after the obertad rand a fast time,

They were:

Ist The Estimate for 1967,

2nd The Hurbanre and Cousts Ordinance.

4th The Regetration Ordinance.

5th The Piracy Court Ordinance,

sul The Order and Cleanlinese Ordinance.

7th The Vacation of the Supreme Court Ordin-

A+TICA.

ith reference to the Ordinance for the esta- blishment of a special Court for the trial of Pirates the Acting Chief Just'ou said that he was strongly of opinion that the Leg slative Council had no power to pass such a measure,

ring the six years from 1860 to the olcae of 1865, į Again I venture to say that neither this Conn- Those premioms however constituted a largecil nor this community would advocate balancing portion of the capital of the Colony, which unlike the accunnt by any abnegation or neglect of the! our great Australian and American colonies, has | plain duties of « Government as such. Et is deno but a very limited expital in land, so much ao, that we might sare money by allowing our buildings although, only 827 acres have been sold, never to decay, and our reads to get out of repair by neg theless it is true that comparatively very little valuable land remasina undisposed of.

The Colony had however, on the 1st January

When all the Ordinances had been taken he 1960, a surples'acumulated, of $207.229 and esu

read a first time the GovERNOR said that as sequently on the 1st of last January, with the wlight addition above mentioned of $3,721, there

thought it would be better not to attempt the Any gentleman, nevertheless, who can suggestiscussion of such a mass of legislation without should have been a surplus of available resets retrenchment without impairing the eficiency of dee deliberation on its derails. He would there amounting to $210,053, from difficulty in col- the Public Service, or entailing the neglect of fore adjourn the Connoil for the present without lecting arrears, and other causes, the surplus as-some plain duty by the Executive will confer an fixing another day for its next meeting and he eets, at the beginning of the current year, was obligation on the Government and the Commu.hoped that in the interval which would elapse, only $14,000.

uity. I have earnestly desired to effect some re- the members would come freely to him and to the

At the beginning last year 1865, however trenchment myself, and I cundicly confess that Attorney General with the view of wking any though we started with a surplus of $299,000, yet¦ when I came to examine into what remained to questions in connexion with the proposed Ordi- at the beginning of this year, that surplus was cu-be done. I was surprised to find that how much || Gances, or of waking any suggestions which might ly £184,000. Therefore in the year 1865 our ex- amounted to, Nevertheless I do not suppose, oren

secur to them, penditure had exceeded our revenue by $114,000, for your own sakes that you will long be content i

The Council then adjourned,

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