113
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
The Bill provides for the following expenditure:
Governor
Governor, Special Expenditure Colonial Secretary's Department
and Legislature
Colonial Secretary's Department
and Legislature, Special Ex- penditure
Secretariat for Chinese Affairs
Audit Department
Treasury
Treasury, Special Expenditure Harbour Master's Department Harbour Master's Department,
Special Expenditure
85,601 1,500
His EXCELLENCY-My remarks in connection with this Bill have been print- ed and are in the hands of each member, so that with your permission I will take a leaf out of the commercial book and ask 86,885 you kindly to allow them to be taken as read. I am sorry that this year the Estimates have been brought before you so late. 900
The delay has been caused by 61,238 the excessive amount of work in the 33,444 Colonial Secretary's Office owing to the 67,990 war, and also to the unfortunate illness 251 of the particular clerk, Mr. Kotewall, 181,897
whose duty it is to prepare the details of these Estimates and an abstract of them 250,130 year by year, a duty which he performs in a most efficient manner, and therefore, 981,519
the time for the consideration of the 24,445
Estimates I wish to ask you to curtail as 2,600
much as possible. It is necessary, under 912,262
instructions, to have these Estimates 274,323
home before the end of the year, that is to say, in time to enable their considera- tion to be completed before the end of the year.
It will therefore be necessary to send them home by the mail of the 7th November, and if hon. members will 61,504
kindly complete their consideration 249,759 within the next fortnight of these Estimates, I shall be very much obliged. 1,500 That will give them a fortnight, and if 379,943 they will kindly take note of the last paragraph of the printed address, and 11,850 avail themselves of the suggestion therein, perhaps their consideration of the 49,175 Estimates would be facilitated.
I may
Imports and Exports Department. Royal Observatory
Royal Observatory. Special Ex-
penditure
Miscellaneous Services
Judicial and Legal Departments.. Judicial and Legal Departments,
Special Expenditure
Police and Prison Departments.... Police and Police Departments,
870 952,130
Special Expenditure Medical Department
Medical Department, Special Ex-
penditure
Sanitary Department
Sanitary Department, Special Ex-
penditure
Botanical and Forestry Depart-
ment
Botanical and Forestry Depart-
ment, Special Expenditure Education
Education, Special Expenditure... Military Expenditure:-
Volunteers
Volunteers, Special Expenditure Public Works:
Public Works Department Public Works Department,
Special Expenditure Public Works, Recurrent.................... Public Works, Extraordinary
Post Office
Post Office, Special Expenditure... Kowloon-Canton Railway Charge on account of Public Debt. Pensions
Charitable Services
Total
also say that owing to the pressure of 1,530 work and the shortage of staff in the 351,029 Colonial Secretary's Office, the abstract 2,794 of these estimates has not yet been prepared. It is an abstract that is made 54,568 entirely for the use of the office and the 22,746 Secretary of State, but I have been in the
habit of lending it to unofficial members, 458,363 and it certainly facilitates consideration. You can see from it at a glance exactly 1,275 how the increase in expenditure of each 580,300 department is arrived at. I hope to have 2,229,785 that extract ready within the next four
464,107
or five days, and as soon as it is prepared I will send it to the senior unofficial 7,545 323,455
member, who no doubt will circulate t 9,077
amongst unofficial members, and I have not the slightest doubt but what they will 308,000
find it of very great value. 26,402
$9,515,692
THE COLONIAL TREASURER second- ed.
HON. MR. HEWETT-Your Excellency, as your Excellency is aware, the usual custom is for the Governor, when he makes his Budget speech, to go into a great many details, and, of course, it is of very great advantage to those of us who have
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
more
the privilege of criticising the Budget to hear
your Excellency go into detail as you go along. Listening to a speech by your Excellency is a great deal instructive than merely reading a printed notice such as we have before us this afternoon. Until your Excellency spoke just now I had no idea you were going to ask for anything more than has always been done before, that is to say, to have a fortnight's consideration. I have not had an opportunity of speaking to any of the unofficial members except the senior unofficial member, but we quite realise the great stress of work thrown upon the Government generally, and your Excel- lency in particular, during the very strenuous times in which we are living. I can assure your Excellency that the unofficial members desire to help your Excellency in every possible way, and the Government, instead of giving us the usual fortnight to consider
these estimates-
now
HIS EXCELLENCY-It is a fortnight.
HON. MR. HEWETT--I understand, but I think we can put it through in a week if necessary. The Estimates are so fully contained here that the abstract to which your Excellency refers, even if it comes at the last moment, we might do without. Therefore, if it is any convenience to your Excellency to take the matter this day week instead of this day fortnight, think unofficial members will be glad to meet you. I understand that is the view of the senior unofficial member, and I have no doubt the other unofficial members will endorse it, although, of course, we would prefer to have a fortnight.
a
HIS EXCELLENCY-I am glad to hear that my voice is so melodious that it is preferred to a written statement, I thought that probably hon. unofficial members would be rather bored by my merely reading written document. However, next year I hope I will be in a position to deliver the speech orally. I think we can manage to get our estimates home if we meet this day fortnight. I would not like to curtail the time at your disposal the usual time is a fortnight, and even that is somewhat short, and I think a week would hardly be reasonable. If hon. unofficial members take a fortnight we will manage to fit in our arrangements accordingly.
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The Governor's Address HIS EXCELLENCY'S address was as follows:-Honourable Members of the Legislative Council, in accordance with the usual procedure, I propose to give you a brief summary of the present financial position of the Colony. In view of the effect which the war is having on the trade of the Colony it has been necessary to revise the Estimates of Revenue, and I will indicate under the proper heads the reductions which have been made.
Financial Situation
When the Estimates for 1914 were placed before you it was anticipated that the balance of assets 31st December, 1913, would amount to over liabilities on $2,361,232. This estimate was more than realized, the sum actually brought to account being $2,659,425. extraordinary revenue is expected to yield the revised figures for 1914 ordinary and According to
$11,330,830 or $1,577,870 more than was estimated. On the other hand the total Expenditure which estimated at $10,595,856 is now expected was originally to exceed that figure by $568,024, "These estimates if realised will result in a surplus on 31st December, 1914, of $166,050, and this sum added to the balance of assets accrued on 31st December, 1913, will give a balance of assets on 31st December, 1914, of $2,826,375.
Estimates of Revenue, 1915
The Estimates of Revenue for the coming year show a gross increase of $1,654,672. tion will be found in the footnotes, occur The principal increases, of which explana- in the items Assessed Taxes $233,200; Boat Licences $51,500; Carriage, Chairs, etc.. Licences $6,500; Liquor Licences $28,000; Opium Monopoly $1,426,800; brokers' Licences $7,000; Engagement and Pawn- Discharge of Seamen $8,500; Fees for use of Government Buoys (new item) $30,000; Public Schools Fees $24,000; Sunday Cargo Working Permits $5,000; Water Excess Supply and Moter Rent $15,000; Coaching Through Traffic, Canton Railway $76,000; Miscellaneous, Kowloon- Kowloon-Canton Railway $7,000; Leased Lands (Crown Rent) $7,000; Markets Rent $10,000; Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Contributions $11.600.
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