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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 3up JANUARY, 1885.

MINUTE OF THE GOVERNOR REFERRED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.-Read the following Minute by His Excellency the Governor :----

G. F. BOWEN,

Referring to the previous minute of the 17th instant, the Governor now lays on the table a detail of the alterations proposed in the Estimates of Expenditure for 1885, in order to meet the anticipated reductions in the Revenue for that year.

The Estimates of Expenditure laid before Council in June last should be in the first place increased by the following items, some of which have been already sanctioned by the Council, whilst the rest appear to be necessary :--

(a.) Increases to Police Salaries already voted,

(b.) Other increases shown in Schedule annexed,..........

(e.) Civil Hospital Extension, re-vote, .....

C.S.O. 2995. (d.) Further vote recommended for additional story and extension of separate build- ing, on account of necessity for increased accommodation in the Hospital,... (e.) Repairs to public buildings, increase strongly recommended, (f.) Police Station Hunghom, new, ...................

Total increase, Original Estimate,

.....$ 5,500

780

3,300

8,000

2,000

3,200

$

22,780

1,150,801

$1,173,581

The Governor proposes that the following alterations be made in the Estimates of Expenditure for 1885 in order to bring this sum down to about $1,090,000:-

(a.) Opium Revenue Department to be abolished from 28th February next,

10 months salaries to be struck ont,

.$

6,900

(b.) Tree planting, to be reduced by

4,000

(c.) New Central School (to be paid for out of balances), to be struck out

50,000

(d.) Draining of Wongneichong, to be reduced by

20,000

(e.) Widening Kennedy Road, to be struck out

2,000.

$

$2,900

The result of making these alterations will be the reduction of the Estimates

of Expend ture to

$1,090,681

which will leave a margin to meet unforeseen Expenditure of

44,319

Estimated Revenue,

.$1,135,000

Government House, 24th December, 1884.

POSTPONEMENT OF THE ORDER OF THE DAY.-The Attorney General moved that the Order of the

Day be postponed.

The Colonial Secretary seconded.

Question-put and passed.

The Council adjourned until Wednesday, the 31st instant, at 4 P.M.

Read and confirmed, this 31st day of December, 1884.

ARATHOON SETU,

Clerk of Councils,

G. F. BOWEN,

Governor.