THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 24TH NOVEMBER, 1877.
a way of dealing with them, and no anticipation of what might occur at Macao ought to prevent, when the time comes, from getting from the Opium farmer of this Colony that which he ought to be paying at this moment—a far larger sum than $11,000 a month. It was sold in March, 1876, for three years, so that it will be a little time before I shall have the opportunity of dealing with it.
As regards the other items—the spirit licences and pawnbrokers'—these are two licences to which I am giving attention, and I believe that, without in any way imposing additional taxation, we might be able to raise a larger revenue from those two. However, for next year I place them at figures somewhat less than we will have actually got from them in the present year. And before leaving this question of licences, I may say there is one item which has given me some thought; it is a trifling one, $1,000 a year we estimate receiving from licences for Billiard Tables and Bowling Alleys. A deputation of respectable Hotel-keepers came to Government House, and represented to me that of late years, Billiard Tables and Bowling Alleys had been established by Clubs—a number of gentlemen who join together to have a Table or Alley, and where a charge is made for the game, and those people have suggested to me whether their licences might not be taken off, or licences put upon all Billiard Tables or Bowling Alleys where the games are charged for. Well, I think it a fair subject for consideration. The sum is a small one; these Hotel-keepers pay largely in other ways; there is nothing in itself wrong in having a Billiard Table or Bowling Alley, and it is a fair subject for us to consider whether we might not, as it were, assimilate the law as regards Billiard Tables and Bowling Alleys, or strike off that licence altogether.
Under the head of revenue, we have "Interest," that is the interest we receive for our deposits at the local Banks. We had, when I arrived in the Colony, something like $60,000 in the Bank at five per cent. per annum. I thought it well to sanction from time to time an addition, as far as it could be done, to the amount in the Bank; and accordingly, month after month, I have been adding to it, and the consequence is that we have now in one Bank at five per cent. a quarter of a million of dollars; we have $20,000 in another Bank at five per cent., and we have in addition to that, at the credit of our ordinary current account $39,000 at two per cent. So I may here tell you that, as certified by my Honourable friends here on the left, the probable balance on the 31st December, 1877, exclusive of the special fund, will be $277,800. In other words, you see that the actual balance on the 31st December, 1876, which was $134,000, will have increased this year to $277,000, or more than doubled.
An interesting item of revenue is that derived from stamps. In the Straits Settlements, the attention of the Government has been drawn to the fact that they are not obtaining from the Stamp law the amount of revenue they think they ought to get, and this has also occurred to the able and zealous Collector here, Mr. LISTER, and accordingly we have devised a scheme by which there has been established an agency for the sale of stamps to the Chinese. This has been in operation for a few months. I am also applying the law strictly to Chinese traders in insisting that they must use stamps according to the Ordinance. I don't know whether this is the first time any such prosecutions have taken place under the Ordinance, but the Chinese are now fully alive to the fact that stamps must be used, and the Collector assures me that by this policy we will be able to add $25,000 a year to our stamp revenue. It has been usual to estimate it at $100,000. The Collector says it will be quite safe to put it down for next year at $125,000. Since I established the Chinese Agency, and enforced the existing law, you may have seen from the returns published in the Gazette, that the revenue derived from stamps has been increasing every month.
The lighting, water, fire, and police rates are also increasing in amount. They increase with the prosperity and population of the Colony. There are other licence fees that constitute a good test of commercial activity, those derived from the licences for junks under Ordinance No. 6 of 1866, the Harbour and Coasts Ordinance. That source of revenue was estimated at $16,000 last year, will bring in this year $18,500, and I have no hesitation in estimating it for next year at $20,000. The fluctuations in the junk trade are intimately connected with the prosperity of the Colony. It was at one time supposed that the junk trade was declining, and the general shipping trade also, but the junk trade especially. However, on investigation it turned out that it was not so. The junk trade in 1874 reached a certain figure; in 1875 it was higher; in 1876 it was still greater; in 1877 the increase has still continued, and the revenue from documents issued under that Ordinance will be this year greater than it ever has been in this Colony. Therefore, I think, looking to the progress of the Colony, that we may fairly estimate a prosperous revenue next year, and on the whole, I think it perfectly safe to estimate the revenue for 1878 at $1,004,240. My Honourable friend Mr. MAY, Acting Colonial Treasurer, who is a capital man of business, anticipates receiving a revenue of about $1,000,000 this year, and he agrees with me in thinking it perfectly safe to estimate our next year's revenue at a little over a million of dollars.
Well, gentlemen, this is the first time I believe in the history of Hongkong that any Governor has had the satisfaction of estimating the revenue at a million of dollars, and I believe it is also the first time that, exclusive of the old gambling fund, so large a balance has been in the hands of the Colonial Treasurer. I have here a list of the balances of various years, and this year's is in excess of the balance of any previous year in the history of the Colony. You will bear in mind that this is in addition to our revenue of over a million dollars. When we come to available assets for the expenses of 1878, we add our balance of $277,000 to the $1,004,240, and that will give us $1,281,240 assets, and that again is independent of the special fund. The special fund amounts to $380,000.
Page 576
Agreement of the Man Wo Sang Company. At present the License for preparing or boiling opium in Hongkong is in the name of Nam Lehen Mai who undertakes to fulfil the work. From the 1st day of March 1880, Chun Wai agrees to admit See Kwing Kai, Chun Tik Tang, Wan Mü-Loung, Gip Ching Chuan and Su Tok Aim of the Wo Hee Company conjointly with the business of such License for preparing or boiling opium at Hongkong adopting the name Wo Sang Company.
From the admittance of the Wo Hee Company into the partnership (in the person of the See Company), Chun Hai shall put his name together in carrying out the License and shall petition...
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 24TH NOVEMBER, 1877.
a way of dealing with them, and no anticipation of what might occur at Macao ought to prevent when the time comes, from getting from the Opium farmer of this Colony that which he ought to paying at this moment-a fur larger sum than $11,000 a month. It was sold in March, 1876, for tig years, so that it will be a little time before I shall have the opportunity of dealing with it.
As regar the other items the spirit licences and pawnbrokers' these are two licences to which I am giving attention, and I believe that, without in any way imposing additional taxation, we might be able raise a larger revenue from those two. However, for next year I place them at figures somewhat s thau we will have actually got from them in the present year. And before leaving this question licences, I may say there is one item which has given me some thought; it is a trifling one, $1,000, year we estimate receiving from licences for Billiard Tables and Bowling Alleys. A deputation respectable Hotel-keepers came to Government House, and represented to me that of late years, Billiar Tables and Bowling Alleys had been established by Clubs, a number of gentlemen who join together t have a Table or Alley, and where a charge is made for the game, and those people have suggested me whether their licences might not be taken off, or licences put upon all Billiard Tables or Bowling Alleys where the games are charged for. Well, I think it a fair subject for consideration. The sul is a small one; these Hotel-keepers pay largely in other ways; there is nothing in itself wrong in s Billiard Table or Bowling Alley, and it is a fair subject for us to consider whether we might not, t it were, assimilate the law as regards Billiard Tables and Bowling Alleys, or strike off that licence t altogether.
Under the head of revenue, we have "Interest," that is the interest we receive for our deposits a the local Banks. We had, when I arrived in the Colony, something like $60,000 in the Bank at five per cent. per annum. I thought it well to sauction from time to time an addition, as far as it could be done, to the amount in the Bank; and accordingly, nonth after month, I have been adding to it, and the consequence is that we have now in one Bank at five per cent, a quarter of a million of dollars; va have $20,000 in another Bank at five per cent., and we have in addition to that at the credit of ou ordinary current account $39,000 at two per cent. So I may here tell you that, as certified by n Honourable friends here on the left, the probable balance on the 31st December, 1877, exclusive of the special fund, will be $277,800. In other words, you see that the actual balance on the 31st Decennia, 1876, which was $134,000, will have increased this year to $277,000, or more than doubled.
An interesting item of revenue, is that derived from stamps. In the Straits Settlements, the attention of the Government has been drawn to the fact that they are not obtaining from the Stamp law the amount of revenue they think they ought to get, and this has also occurred to the able and zealous Collector here, Mr. LISTER, and accordingly we have devised a scheme by which there has hea established an agency for the sale of stamps to the Chinese, This has been in operation for a few months. I am also applying the law strictly to Chinese traders in insisting that they must use stama according to the Ordinance. I don't know whether this is the first time any such prosecutions has taken place under the Ordinance, but the Chinese are now fully alive to the fact that stamps must is used, and the Collector assures me that by this policy we will be able to add $25,000 a year to or stamp revenue. It has been usual to estimate it at $100,000. The Collector says it will be quite saf to put it down for next year at $125,000. Since I established the Chinese Agency, and enforced the existing law, you may have seen from the returns published in the Gazette, that the revenue derived from stamps has been increasing every month.
The lighting, water, fire, and police rates are also increasing in amount. They increase with the prosperity and population of the Colony. There are other licence fees that constitute a good test of commercial activity, those derived from the licences for junks under Ordinance No. 6 of 1866, de Harbour and Coasts Ordinance. That source of revenue was estimated at $16,000 last but
year, will bring in this year $18,500, and I have no hesitation in estimating it for next year at $20,000. The fluctuations in the junk trade are intimately connected with the prosperity of the Colony. It was at one time supposed that the junk trade was declining, and the general shipping trade also, but t junk trade especially. However, on investigation it turned out that it was not so. The junk trade in 1874 reached a certain figure; in 1875 it was higher; in 1876 it was still greater; in 1877 the increas has still continued, and the revenue from documents issued under that Ordinance will be this yer greater that it ever has been in this Colony. Therefore, I think, looking to the progress of the Colon that we may fairly estimate a prosperous revenue next year, and on the whole, I think it perfectly s
you to estimate the revenue for 1878 at $1,004,240. My Honourable friend Mr. MAY, Acting Colonial Treasurer, who is a capital man of business, anticipates receiving a revenue of abo $1,000,000 this year, and he agrees with me in thinking it perfectly safe to estimate our next years revenue at a little over a million of dollars.
to ask
Well, gentlemen, this is the first time I believe in the history of Hongkong that any Governet has had the satisfaction of estimating the revenue at a million of dollars, and I believe it is also the first time that, exclusive of the old gambling fund, so large a balance has been in the hands of the Colonial Treasurer. I have here a list of the balances of various years, and this year's is in excess of the balance of any previous year in the history of the Colony. You will bear in mind that this is addition to our revenue of over a million dollars. When we come to available assets for the expens of 1878, we add our balance of $277,000 to the $1,004,240, and that will give us $$1,281,240 assets, and that again is independent of the special fund. The special fund amounts to $380,000.
as of
The
576
Agreement of the Man Westang Company. At present the License for preparing or boiling opium in Hongkong is .
Chun
is in
the name of Nan lehen Mai who
wondertakes to fulfil the work . From the 1st day of March 1880 tan bhun
Wai agress
to admit ee di
Seerting kai,
Chumidis Tang, Wan Mü-
Loung, Gip
Ching Chuan and Su Tok Aim of
The Wo Hee Compa
Company conjointly with the business of such License
for preparing or boiling opium
at
Hongking adopting the
the man Wo Sang Company
e of.
From the admittance of the Wo thee Company into the partnership
person of the to See Company). shall put his
Chun Hai.
- A
with & law
together in carrying
out the License and shait petition
-the-
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