431
A (1) 14
A (1) 15
11. Only one head of Expenditure was exceeded :—
Miscellaneous Services
The cost of Government servants' passages re- quired $87,758 more than estimated.
DECREASES,
Imports and Exports Office.
$27,244
Owing to higher exchange $37,578 was saved on the purchase of raw opium and $4,954 on fuel due to Opium Factory having been closed in February.
Harbour Department and Air Services.
Coal cost $122,212 less than the estimates owing to lower contract rate, $9,574 was saved on repairs, minor im- provements and stores for launches and boats owing to higher exchange, and $50,000 for a new launch not built. The subsidy of $30,000 to the Flying Club and $100,000 to Commercial Aviation were also not paid.
Police Force,
Higher exchange reduced the expenditure on ammunt- tion by $4,439, on clothing and accoutrements by $15,537. Higher exchange, fewer passages than estimated resulted in a saving of $23,019 on Police Officers' transport and $5,603 on rations for Indian Police.
Prisons Department.
A saving of $6,037 was made on clothing for the staff, due to higher exchange, The price of coal also accounted for a decrease of $6,305 in fuel. Government quarters were available and a saving of $5,219 on Rent of quarters and Rent allowances for European warders was made.
Medical Department.
Bedding and clothing also Medicines, etc., showed da creases of $7,036 and $17,450 due to higher exchange.
Sanitary Department.
Exhumation costs were lower by $7,426.
Education.
A saving of $19,593 in Capitation Grants due to fewer pupils.
Kowloon Canton Railway.
A saving of $72.872 in coal resulted from a lower con- tract price.
Charitable Services.
Aberdeen
The full provision of $11,750 voted for Industrial School was underspent by $8,150 owing to school not being ready.
Charge on account of Public Debts.
Savings of 118,226 and $33,617 for interest and tink- ing fund respectively were made owing to higher exchange. The sum of $333,000 provided for the sinking tung of this Public Works 6% Loan 1927 was not required as this lean was converted on 1st August to 4% by the issue of con. version bonds running for 20 years, the first provision for amortization only being required in 1934.
Pensions.
Out of $1,894,000 provided only $1,876,565 was spent, the saving of $17,435 was due to higher exchange. Public Works Department.
Owing to less work being accomplished than anticipated $4,745 was saved on Harbour Surveying. $204,596 on Ad- Additional ditional Transmitting Equipment, $68,578 on Receiving Equipment were saved due non-arrival of Equipment from England and $10,888 on Steam Roller due to Account being outstanding at the close of the year, Public Works lecurrent.
to
Thus Head, showed a decrease of $138,893 on the estimate, in spite of the fact that by a resolution of Council dated 31st August a further $60,000 above the original estimate was provided for maintenance works. Two sub- heads however showed comparatively large increases over the original appropriations, Hong Kong-"Buildings" by $33,184 and howloon-“Maintenance of Waterworks" by $16,233.
Public Works Extraordinary.
The net decrease amounted to $375,474 and was spread over the subheads generally, the explanation being that less work was done than anticipated or the work commenced late in the year. There were however a few subheads which showed increases over the original provision notably Water meters by $57,704 owing to the increased demand for metered supplies; Kowloon Hospital additions by $73,886 as better progress was made with the work than anti- cipated; Distribution Circuit from New Reservoir by $46,825 to enable the earlier completion of the circuit; Government Bungalow at Fanling by $29,211 due to increased accom- modation. The following are some of the more important items which were not estimated for originally but provided by supplementary votes or resolutions during the year. Remand Home for Juvenile Offenders $49,492, Purchase of house No. 407, The Peak, $40,000. Purchase of Sailors' Home and Soldiers' Institute and cost of adaption as offices $196,812. Free connections in Rider Main Areas $19,258 and Resurfacing Shatin Causeway and Taipo Road $62,791.
Naval Arsenal Yard and Kellet Island.
The amount of $500,000 was not paid during the year.
432
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