594
71
HONGKONG LEĢISLATIVE COUNCIL
Item 48. Additional Service Re-
servoir. West Point (Reduction) $130,000 Itent 15. Kented Quarters for
European Subordinates
9d. Our coins are sold as bullion, but the proceeds
are credited in the Treasury books at the current rate of exchange with the consequent loss of about 1d. on every dollar unit.
30.000
Item 16.Housing of Subordin-
ate Officers
30.000
Item 17.-Extension of Central
Police Station
50,000
30.000
nar
Item 19.- Paving of main roads Item 47.-Compensation and Re-
sumption
Item 78(c). Section A of road in New Terriories
new
War Expenditure 1915
The expenditure on account of the
is
expected tr
amount during 20.000 the current year to $179.200.
No provi sion was made for this in the Estimates, 33,000, and the whole amount is therefore in i excess of the approved estimates for the
It was also found possible to make an estimated saving of $380,000 in connection with the purchase of raw opium, and the need for strict economy was enjoined on Head of Departments, The total of the economies effected is $1,219,766, but the effect of them was to a great extent neu- tralised by the necessity for incurring certain heavy expenditure which could not be included in the estimate.
Sub-Coin
A large increase was necessary in the amount required to redeem subsidiary coinage. The sum estimated on this account was $768,000, while it is now found that a sum of $1,164,000 will be required, or $396,000 more than the original estimate. A variety of circumstances have contri- buted to swell our loss on the edemption of subsidiary coins and to cause a large excess on the vote in the current estimates to cover that loss.
In the first place, after the Estimates had been framed the Government adopted a policy of purchas- ing sub-coins in the market, and it con- tinued that policy, taking advantage of the high rate of discount, till February in this year.
Altogether coins to the face value of $1.275,000 were purchased and sent Home to be demonetized. Although $500.000 of that sum represents purchases made and went home in 1914, the proceeds were not brought to account till this year. The loss on this large item was therefore not included in the Estimates for this year. In the second place, an item which has swelled the cost is that of insurance against war risks. A third cause is that the coins being old were dirty and a little light through wear. A fourth cause is the fact that during the current year, while the parity of silver has ruled at about 1s. 7 d. to the dollar, the rate of exchange has ruled at a fraction over 18.
¦
year.
sum
Certain
There has also been a large increase in the
required for A sum of $4,000 was provided, but it is telegrams. probable that no less than $20,000 will be expended. Other smaller sums go to make up a total sum of $625,238, by which the estimate for Miscellaneous Services has been exceeded. A supplementary vote for $486,000 has recently been taken to cover the cost of the construction of the cordance with the estimate contained in Railway during the current year in ac- Council Paper No. 15 of 1915. additional expenditure incurred on other votes is shown on pages 19 and 20 of the which I have drawn attention, reduce the draft Estimates which, with the items to total anticipated saving on this year's Estimates to the sum of $58.525 which I have already mentioned. therefore, be a deficit on the 31st Decem- There will, ber next, if these figures are realised, of $1,047.641, and the balance of Assets on that date will be reduced to $1.562,832. It the need for strict economy during the will be clear to honourable members that coming year is imperative, and the Esti- have been drawn up with that object. mates which are now laid before you
Estimates of Revenuc, 1916
are
$1.378 in excess of that approved for the
The estimated revenue for. 1916 current year, The principal increases, foot-notes, of which explanations will be found in the changers' Licences, $8.340: Opium Mono- as follows:-Money- poly, $250,000; Stamp Duties, $50,000; Analyses, $6.000; Sunday Cargo-working Permits, $5,000: Kowloon Canton Rail- way. goods through traffic, $5,000; Lands Hongkong Tramway Company $6,030: not Leased $7,420; Royalty payable by
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Widows' and Orphans' Pension, Contribu- tions, $7,200. These increases aggregate $344,990, and the decreases in various other items amount to almost a similar sum.
Estimate of Expenditure, 19 6
The estimated expenditure for next year is $11,852,774, which is $603,997 less than the estimated expenditure for the current year. In the eight departments in Class I. under the head "General Administration, a decrease of $137,882 is estimated for but this requires some explanation. The total estimate for these departments this year was $1,781,400, but wing principal ly to the cost of raw opium having been much less than was estimated, and the scheme for the acquisition and re- arrangement of the moorings in the har- bour having only been partly proceeded with, it is not anticipated that more than $1,301,100 will be required. The estimate for next year is $1,643,518, which includes a sum of $800,000 for opium, $140,000 for the acquisition and re-arrangement of moorings, and $10,000 for the raising and renewal of moorings. Under the heading
Miscellaneous Services "
the estimate of expenditure for next year is $1,113,289, or $201,027 greater than for last year, due almost entirely to charges on account of the war.
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72
pouple of this Colony will gladly accept the whole burden of the maintenance of both interned persons and prisoners of W&T,
which cannot be regarded as a heavy one compared with the expenditure now being incurred by other parts of the Empire. The sub-head Other Items of Expenditure $90,000, comprises extra payments to Volunteers on war duty; the cost of meals, transport and other ex- penges on account of garrison duty; and passages to men proceeding to England for active service. There are also many other items of expenditure chargeable to this sub-head, which cannot be definitely specified. A sum of $2,200 has been provided for a new edition of the Gen- eral Orders of the Hongkong Government.
Judicial and Legal Department
Under Other Charges a sum equiva lent to £300 has been entered as the con- tribution from this Colony towards the cost of the establishment of a Registry of Companies which is to be established at Shanghai. This Registry will be sub- ordinate to the Hongkong Registry, and as the whole of the fees received will be paid over to the Hongkong Government, it is considered desirable tha' this Colony should make a contribution owards the annual expenditure involved. The vote for the travelling expenses of Watchmen and temporary engagement of extra Watchmen has been increased from $1,000 to $5,000. This increase is due to the issue of an abnormal number of executions since the outbreak of the war. The sums spent are counter- balanced by Possession Fees which are paid into revenue.
I would draw attention to the follow- ing items under "Miscellaneous Services." A sum of $750,000 is estimated to cover the loss on Subsidiary Coins, This sum falls short to a considerable amount of The sum required in the current year for this service. There is some reason to hope that it may nevertheless be sufficient, and I trust that this hope will be i realised.
War Expenditure 1916
Police
་་
The establishment of European Con- stables has been reduced by ten for the As regards War Expenditure: The
duration of the war. This reduction has five heads amount in all to $210,200. been rendered possible by the excellent including a sum of $58.000 for the main-service which is being rendered by mem- tenance of Prisoners of War and their bers of the Special Police Reserve. I have families. His Majesty's Government already had occasion to refer publicly have decided that each Colony should pay to the useful work performed by this for the alien enemies interned by its recent addition to the Police Force, and Government, and also. if it can afford
it is especially gratifying that at a time it for alien enemies taken off ships within
when there are many vacancies in the its jurisdiction. The question of defray- Force owing to the absence of members ing the cost of maintenance of prisoners at the front, and to the difficulty of fill- made in actual military operations hasing the vacancies which occur under not actually been decided, but I have ordinary conditions, that deficiencies can included in the vote the estimated cost be supplemented by other members of of the 76 prisoners brought here from the community, who for various reasons Tsingtan, because I feel sure that the
are unable to leave the Colony. The Gov-
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.