CO129-317 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [4-6] — Page 535

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UKON

PRINTED FOR PARLIAMENT Colonial Repoto Anniest #1-393

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20719

GOVERNMENT 45,

HONGKONG, 22nd June, 1903,

SIR-I have the honour to submit, for your information, the following general Report on the Aunnal Blue Book for the year 1902.

1-FINANCES.

The Revenue for the year 1902 exclusive of Land Sales amounted to $4,329,712.48. Land Sales for the year reached $571,361.22. The total revenue from all sources was the therefore $4,901,073.70, or $295,108.70 more than the estirnate. All the main sources of revenue showed an excess over the estimated receipts with the exception of Interest on Credit Balances and the Water Account, which yielded $2,996.08 and $14,050.53 respectively less than the estimate.

Licences and Internal Revenue showed an excess of no less than $158,340.55 over the estimate, and there were also considerable excesses under Fees of Court or Office, &c., Post Office and Light Dues.

The Expenditure for the year, chiefly owing to the sums disbursed (under the head of Miscellaneous Services) in connection with Plague, was very large, and far in excess of the estimate. The estimated expenditure (including that on Public Works Extraordinary) was $4,558,955.26, but the actual disbursements exceeded this estimate by $1,350,593.25.

The total actual expenditure was $5,909,548.51. Dedneting from this the total actual receipts, there was a deficit of $1,008,474.81 on the actual working of the year, though the surplus of Assets on December 31st amounted to $66,869 exclusive of arrears of Revenue.

(a.)—GENERAL REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.

The following is a brief abstract of Revenue and Expenditure for the years 1901 and 1902 :-

1901.

1902

Inercase. Decrease.

*

$

Light Dues,

wise specified.

58.876.98

66,106.52

Licences and Internal Revenue not other-

Feos of Court, &c..

2,270,145,69 | 2,600,520.55 284,453.22 296,709.19

7.730.54

330,374.86

12,255.97 |

Interest,

Miscellaneous,

Land Sales,

Post Office,

Rent of Government Property,

Water Account,

355,912.74

387,066.19

31,153.45

555.469.58

1.14

572,286.15 2,003.9%

16,816.57

2.002.78

280,100.36 169,119.45 240,315.06

233,070.49 171.949.47

$7,029.87

2,830.02

571,361.22 331,046.16

Total.

$ 4,213,893.22| 4,901,073.70

Deact Decrease,

734,210.35 47,029.87

Nett Increase,

47.029.87!

$687,180.48

Right Honourable

JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.,

His Majesty's Prioripal Secretary of State for the Colaairs,

Se..

gir.