CO129-270 - Public Offices & Others - 1895 — Page 35

No.

57.

EXCHEQUER AND AUDIT DEPARTMENT,

SOMERSET House.

30

In any further correspondence on this subject, the above number should be quoted,

and

the communication should be addressed to

"The Comptroller and Auditor General,”

Sir,

C.0.

5828

4 FR95!

LONDON, W.C.

3rd April, 1895.

I am directed by the Comptroller and Auditor General

to acknowledge the receipt of Mr Fairfield's letter, No 440/95,of the 30th ultimo, transmitting copies of the Hong Kong Estimates, &c., for 1895, together with a copy of the Secretary of State's despatch to the Governor on the

subject.

2. With reference to the "Appropriations-in-

"aid", which it is noticed are introduced for the first time into the Estimates of the Colony, I am directed by the Comptroller and Auditor General to state that the sugges- tionthat repayments such as those for Police services should be treated as "Appropriations-in-aid" was originally made by this Department in a letter to the Tocal Auditor

dated 14th November, 1890.

3. It was seen at that time that sums were

being carried to "Revenue" which were not strictly Revenue;

and it was considered that an improvement could be effected by introducing a system which, so far as Imperial Accounts are concerned, is admitted to be a distinct advance towards

greater financial regularity.

4.

No difficulty was apprehended in drawing the

line between those heads of receipt which can be regarded as Revenue proper, and those which should be treated as "Appropriations-in-aid"; and it was hoped that, in time,

exam-

an improved system of estimating would be accepted by. Hong Kong and by other Crown Colonies whose Accounts are

ined in this Department.

The Hon. Sir Robert Meade, K.C.B.

Colonial Office, S.V.

5.