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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 25TH SEPTEMBER, 1869.
Read a first time, a Bill for regulating the Periods of Vacation of the Supreme Court, and the Transac-
tion of Business in certain Cases during the same.
Ilis Excellency lays on the Table a Bill for amending the Laws relating to the Construction of Buildings and Prevention of Nuisances in the Colony of Hongkong, as submitted by the Commission to which the original Bill on the subject had been referred for revision.-llis Excellency points out that it contains a provision, Section No. 48, to the effect that the Surveyor General is to exercise his powers under the Ordinance in conformity with instructions from the Governor. The original Bill is then ordered to be withdrawn, and the revised Bill on the Table is read a first time.
Read a first time, a Bill to make further Provision in relation to Criminal Law and Procedure. Read a first time, a Bill for granting Licenses for the Distillation of Spirits, and the Rectifying and
Compounding thereof within the Colony.
Read a first time, a Bill to amend the Law relating to “Promissory Oaths."
Read a first time, a Bill to provide for the Payment out of the Revenue of the Colony of Expenses incurred
in the Relief of Distressed British Seamen belonging to Ships registered in this Colony.
Read a first time, a Bill to amend "The Ordinance for the Suppression of Piracy (Hongkong), 1868." Read a first time, a Bill for dealing with certain Claims in relation to Funds confiscated for Colonial
Purposes.
Read a first time, a Bill for amending the Law relating to the Granting of Pensions and other Allowances
to the Police Force.
Read a first time, a Bill to recover in the Court of Summary Jurisdiction Crown Debts under Five
hundred Dollars for Rent, and for certain Assessments and Fees.
Read a first time, a Bill to make further Provision for the Maintenance of good Order within the Colony. llis Excellency lays on the Table the Supplementary Estimates Ordinance, 1868, and the Appropriation Ordinance, 1870, and makes the following Explanatory Statement in, reference to the last Two Bills:-
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1. Various circumstances,-but principally the illness and subsequent de- parture of the Auditor General, Mr. RENNIE, caused the Supplemental Estimates for last year to be so long delayed that, I find myself now laying them before you simultaneously with the Estimates for 1870. Probably no immediate disadvan- On the contrary, you may perhaps tage attends this exceptional delay for once. feel enabled thereby to take a more complete survey of the whole financial position of the Colony by noting at the same time the actual results of the previous year's expenditure, and the provision necessary for the requirements of the ensuing year.
2. The supplemental sum actually required to defray the Government expenses during 1868 is only (Page 8) $37,191. Of that sum several items, such ns the cost of the Fire Brigade and the Passage Allowances of the Mint Officials, had their origin in necessities wholly arising subsequent to framing the Estimates for 1868 and when it was not possible or at least would have been very inconvenient to have summoned you to meet merely to pass a, vote for expenses as to which there could be no difference of opinion..
3. On the other hand you will find that there was a large saving of $77,985 in the actual total Expenditure of 1868 including the $37,000 now to be voted, Colonial Estimates, Page 31. because that Expenditure was only $991,310 whereas it had been estimated to
amount to $1,069,296. You must remember, however, that the sums received from Gaming Licenses in 1868 appeared on the Estimates of that year. That is no longer the case now, and therefore the estimated Receipts and Expenditure of 1868 were proportionately increased.
4. I have further to call your attention to the fact that recent alterations in previous instructions enable me to present to you Supplementary Estimates which ask simply a vote for the sums really expended in excess of your authority. Formerly none of the savings in the Estimates for Establishments were consi- dered applicable to any items of service "Exclusive of Establishments." The complications caused thereby belong now to the Past and I shall only illustrate the unintelligible basis on which Supplemental Estimates were formerly framed by stating that although $37,000 is the total excess for which I seek your authority the Colonial Secretary computes that under the old system I should have been obliged to ask apparently for $286,049 to cover that excess! Now however, the savings under the different votes are made applicable to the general purposes of the particular head of service under which such items were classified, and the excess alone of an entire Department, in all its branches, is placed on the Supple At the same time, in the table which accompanies thes mentary Estimates. Estimates is afforded full explanation of the savings accrued in each case, and als of the manner in which they have been applied.
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