472
Hana KONG. 1897.
The total
1x handiture
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL,
There are no very noticeable decreases to be set against the above-mentioned increases except that of $31,683.68 under the heading Fines "--which Sir W. Robinson characterised as an unsatisfactory source of revenue; of $3,548.45 on account of Junk Licences-which is probably explained by lower freights on river steamers; of $5,469.62 under "Other Miscellaneous Receipts "an ever-varying source of revenue; and the decrease of $46,368.40 on premia from land sales mentioned above.
The nett result of a comparison with the year 1896 shows an increase of revenue amounting to $77,035.76 during the year 1897.
EXPENDITURE.
Or the expenditure side there is a nett increase of $166,499.34 during 1997 as compared with the pussies gear of 1896,
af revenue of $99,403:56:
expenditure during The most noticeable increases on the expenditure side were
1897 was
$
Public Debt
30,337.03
2,641,409.71;
Pensions
22,769.51
Public Works Department
3,862.82
Post Office ....
18,799.12
Lighthouses
2,721.90
Medical Department
5,215,61
Transport
4,458.46
67,946,03
20.982.64
58,205.40
Miscellaneous Services
Public Works Recurrent
Public Works Extraordinary
The amount expended on Public Works Extraordinary chargeable to the Loan amounted to $321,705.89, as against $230,619.32 in 1896, and $186,970,87 in 1895.
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.
The Statement of Assets and Liabilities shows a debit balance on the 31st December, 1897, amounting to $264,649.87, of which $262,091.95 were loan monies.
Against this apparent deficit, however, the Colony had a prospective asset of $350,000 worth of coins which were paid for before the 31st December, but were not yet in transit on that date.
It should also be mentioned that the expenditure for the year 1897 included a sum of $116,000 on account of Her Majesty's Jubilee Celebration.
LOAN.
The Balance Sheet of the Loan Account showed at the end of the year a debit balance amounting to £336,625 Os. 9d.
COLONIAL REPORTS-ANNUAL.
MILITARY ACCOUNT,
5
The amount in sterling contributed by the Colonial Govern- ment during 1897 in aid of Military Expenditure was £42,993 12s. 3d. as against an expenditure of £162,588.
LEGISLATION.
The most important Ordinances passed during the year were-
(1) An Ordinance to declare and amend the Law of
Partnership.
(2) An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to the Construction of Ordinances, to further shorten the Language used in Ordinances, and for other like purposes.
These Ordinances assimilate the law of the Colony to that prevailing in England.
There was also an Ordinance passed to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to Probates and Letters of Administration in this Colony.
POPULATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
The population in 1887 numbered 212,951, as against an estimated population in the latter part of 1897 numbering 248,710, including members of the Army and Navy to the average number of 5,118. The European civil population during the year was estimated at 8,555.
The total number of deaths registered was 4,668 as compared with 5,860 during 1896, but in the latter year there were no fewer than 1,078 deaths from Bubonic Plague; deducting deaths from that discase, however, there has been a material reduction in the death-rate which for 1897 stands at 1885 per 1,000 as compared with an average of 23 per 1,000 during the previous five years (exclusive of 1894, the year of the great epidemic of Bubonic Plague).
The above statistics show an improvement in the state of the public health, which may be regarded as satisfactory; notwith- standing the fact that 293 cases of small-pox and 65 cases of enteric fever were reported during the year, the latter being chiefly confined to Europeans and the origin traceable to the milk supply.
It is only natural that a port like Hong Kong should be largely exposed, through the shipping, to epidemics of an infectious nature, and it is probably an indication of the adequacy of the Quarantine Regulations that such epidemics are not more frequent.
It is satisfactory to note that only 21 cases of Bubonic Plague were reported during the year.
HONG KONG.
1897,
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