CO129-309 - Public Offices & Others - 1901 — Page 549

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

# Proposed scheme for the Accounts of the Water and Drainage Department.

544

The Accounts of an Engineering Department have two principal objects.

(a) To enable the Head of the Department to render accounts to the Head of the Government of the sums entrusted to him by Vote of Council.

(b) To give the Head of the Department the means of ascertaining in detail the cost of the different classes of work performed under his direction and to show exactly and to date the total expenditure on every work and if necessary on different portions thereof.

2. To satisfy these requirements, the accounts of the Department should show at any moment not merely the cash paid from the Treasury but the liabilities which have been incurred by the Government.

In other words, every sum should be accounted for as soon as possible after the Government has become liable for its payment, whether the payment has been actually made by the Treasury or not.

3. For the construction of Public Works, stores and materials have to be imported through the Crown Agents or purchased locally.

4. Under existing circumstances, imported stores are only brought to account at the end of the year when the Crown Agents' Accounts are adjusted. Until this happens, no trace of the cost of the stores appears in the Departmental books, though the stores may have been actually used on works. The books therefore give the most erroneous information as to the real expenditure.

5. Again, all stores imported or purchased locally are charged direct to some Vote. It is not possible to do this with any approach to accuracy, for in a great many cases it is wholly impossible to determine beforehand the purposes for which the stores will be applied.

6.

Page 544

(To be continued on next page)

Or


2. D. 72 g 19 7e b

should be removed as it seems to be an OCR error or unrelated text. Here is the revised version:

# Proposed scheme for the Accounts of the Water and Drainage Department.

544

The Accounts of an Engineering Department have two principal objects.

(a) To enable the Head of the Department to render accounts to the Head of the Government of the sums entrusted to him by Vote of Council.

(b) To give the Head of the Department the means of ascertaining in detail the cost of the different classes of work performed under his direction and to show exactly and to date the total expenditure on every work and if necessary on different portions thereof.

2. To satisfy these requirements, the accounts of the Department should show at any moment not merely the cash paid from the Treasury but the liabilities which have been incurred by the Government.

In other words, every sum should be accounted for as soon as possible after the Government has become liable for its payment, whether the payment has been actually made by the Treasury or not.

3. For the construction of Public Works, stores and materials have to be imported through the Crown Agents or purchased locally.

4. Under existing circumstances, imported stores are only brought to account at the end of the year when the Crown Agents' Accounts are adjusted. Until this happens, no trace of the cost of the stores appears in the Departmental books, though the stores may have been actually used on works. The books therefore give the most erroneous information as to the real expenditure.

5. Again, all stores imported or purchased locally are charged direct to some Vote. It is not possible to do this with any approach to accuracy, for in a great many cases it is wholly impossible to determine beforehand the purposes for which the stores will be applied.

6.

Page 544

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# Proposed scheme for the Accounts of the Water and Drainage Department. 544 The Accounts of an Engineering Department have two principal objects. (a) To enable the Head of the Department to render accounts to the Head of the Government of the sums entrusted to him by Vote of Council. (b) To give the Head of the Department the means of ascertaining in detail the cost of the different classes of work performed under his direction and to show exactly and to date the total expenditure on every work and if necessary on different portions thereof. 2. To satisfy these requirements, the accounts of the Department should show at any moment not merely the cash paid from the Treasury but the liabilities which have been incurred by the Government. In other words, every sum should be accounted for as soon as possible after the Government has become liable for its payment, whether the payment has been actually made by the Treasury or not. 3. For the construction of Public Works, stores and materials have to be imported through the Crown Agents or purchased locally. 4. Under existing circumstances, imported stores are only brought to account at the end of the year when the Crown Agents' Accounts are adjusted. Until this happens, no trace of the cost of the stores appears in the Departmental books, though the stores may have been actually used on works. The books therefore give the most erroneous information as to the real expenditure. 5. Again, all stores imported or purchased locally are charged direct to some Vote. It is not possible to do this with any approach to accuracy, for in a great many cases it is wholly impossible to determine beforehand the purposes for which the stores will be applied. 6. Page 544 (To be continued on next page) Or 2. D. 72 g 19 7e b should be removed as it seems to be an OCR error or unrelated text. Here is the revised version: # Proposed scheme for the Accounts of the Water and Drainage Department. 544 The Accounts of an Engineering Department have two principal objects. (a) To enable the Head of the Department to render accounts to the Head of the Government of the sums entrusted to him by Vote of Council. (b) To give the Head of the Department the means of ascertaining in detail the cost of the different classes of work performed under his direction and to show exactly and to date the total expenditure on every work and if necessary on different portions thereof. 2. To satisfy these requirements, the accounts of the Department should show at any moment not merely the cash paid from the Treasury but the liabilities which have been incurred by the Government. In other words, every sum should be accounted for as soon as possible after the Government has become liable for its payment, whether the payment has been actually made by the Treasury or not. 3. For the construction of Public Works, stores and materials have to be imported through the Crown Agents or purchased locally. 4. Under existing circumstances, imported stores are only brought to account at the end of the year when the Crown Agents' Accounts are adjusted. Until this happens, no trace of the cost of the stores appears in the Departmental books, though the stores may have been actually used on works. The books therefore give the most erroneous information as to the real expenditure. 5. Again, all stores imported or purchased locally are charged direct to some Vote. It is not possible to do this with any approach to accuracy, for in a great many cases it is wholly impossible to determine beforehand the purposes for which the stores will be applied. 6. Page 544
Baseline (Original)
(COPY) Sul pogo бертом Chadharck Martie Proposed scheme for the Accounts of the Water and Drainage Department. 544 *t* The Accounts of an Engineering Department have two princi- pal objects. (a) To enable the Head of the Department to render accounts to the Head of the Government of the sums entrusted to him by Vote of Council. (b) To give the Head of the Department the means of ascertain- ing in detail the cost of the different classes of work performed under his direction and to show exactly and to date the total expenditure on every work and if necessary on different portions thereof. 2. To satisfy these requirements, the accounts of the Depart- ment should show at any moment not merely the cash paid from the Treasury but the liabilities which have been incurred by the Government. In other words every sum should be accounted for as soon as possible after the Government has become liable for its payment whether the payment has been actually made by the Treasury or not. 3. For the construction of Public Works, stores and materials have to be imported through the Crow Agents or purchased locally 4. Under existing circumstances, imported stores are only brought to account at the end of the year when the Crown Agents Accounts are adjusted. Until this happens no trace of the cost of the stores appears in the Departmental books, though the stores: may have been actually used on works. The books therefore give the most erroneous information as to thr real expenditure. 5. Again, all stores imported or purchased locally are charged direct to some Vote. It is not possible to do this with any approach to accuracy for in a great many cases it is wholly impossible to determine beforehand the purposes for which the stores will be applied. 6. 2. D. 72 g 19 7e b
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(COPY)

Sul pogo бертом

Chadharck

Martie

Proposed scheme for the Accounts of the Water and Drainage

Department.

544

*t*

The Accounts of an Engineering Department have two princi- pal objects.

(a) To enable the Head of the Department to render accounts to the Head of the Government of the sums entrusted to him by

Vote of Council.

(b) To give the Head of the Department the means of ascertain- ing in detail the cost of the different classes of work performed under his direction and to show exactly and to date the total expenditure on every work and if necessary on different portions thereof.

2. To satisfy these requirements, the accounts of the Depart- ment should show at any moment not merely the cash paid from the

Treasury but the liabilities which have been incurred by the

Government.

In other words every sum should be accounted for

as soon as possible after the Government has become liable for

its payment whether the payment has been actually made by the Treasury or not.

3. For the construction of Public Works, stores and materials

have to be imported through the Crow Agents or purchased locally

4. Under existing circumstances, imported stores are only

brought to account at the end of the year when the Crown Agents Accounts are adjusted. Until this happens no trace of the cost

of the stores appears in the Departmental books, though the stores:

may have been actually used on works. The books therefore give

the most erroneous information as to thr real expenditure.

5. Again, all stores imported or purchased locally are charged

direct to some Vote. It is not possible to do this with any

approach to accuracy for in a great many cases it is wholly

impossible to determine beforehand the purposes for which the stores will be applied.

6.

2. D. 72 g 19 7e b

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