239
The sums expended on these items have been: Taitam Water Works $173,424, and Sanitary Works $163,874, total $337,298. The large excess over the estimates for Taitam Water Works is due mainly to the greater depth to which the foundations of the dam have been carried down, entailing the use of more cement than was originally calculated, and to the purchase of additional boring machinery for the tunnel.
The total expenditure on these works, to the 31st December last, has been $297,693. The total expenditure on extraordinary Sanitary Works, to the same date, has been $214,143.
9. Under the head Miscellaneous (b.) the excess is composed, 1st of the payment of $20,700 to the Contractor for scavenging the Town for which no provision had been made in the Estimates. As this sum is nearly counterbalanced by receipts from the Contractor for the removal of excretal matters, which were also not provided in the Estimates of Revenue, this excess is more a matter of account than a substantial increase of expenditure. The remainder of the excess is made up of the grants to the City Hall, and to the Po Leung Kuk, extra printing, and other work.
10. The large excess under the head of Police (c.) has been caused by the supply of new Carbines and Ammunition to the Force; extra outlay in clothing and accoutrements; and the expenses entailed by the destruction by Fire of the floating Water Police Station.
11. Supplementary votes taken for the Observatory, the new Water Police Station; the Sea Wall at Lápsápwán; Pumps, &c., &c., account for the increase under Public Works (d.); and similar votes for works at Causeway Bay; for improvements at Shaukiwán; for Roads near the Mahomedan Ceme- tery to open out new building sites which will be offered for sale; have caused the excess on Roads, Streets, and Bridges (e.).
&
12. Under the head of Pensions (f.) the excess over Estimates is owing to arrears for 1883 having been paid at home in 1884. Lands and Houses purchased (g.) were not estimated as the necessity for their resumption could not be foreseen.
13. The annexed statement shows that the balance of Assets on 31st December last, originally estimated at $659,250, was actually
$ 729,562
1,137,558
There is no reason, I think, to anticipate any, falling off in the revised estimates of Revenue which were sent home in January last, and which amounted to
Further may be added for balances which have remained for a long time unclaimed and which will be transferred to the credit of the Colony under authority of Ordinance 7 of 1885, about ..........
20,000
Total,.......
$1,887,120
Deducting from this amount the estimated expenditure of 1885, viz. :---
Ordinary Expenditure,
$1,092,981
Extraordinary Expenditure,
594,700
Total,.....
$1,687,681
There will remain on the 31st December next, as far as it now possible to foresee, a balance of Assets of
.$ 199,439
The accounts now submitted do not correspond with those published in the Blue Book for 1884 which were incomplete as they included the Crown Agents accounts up to 30th September only. Their accounts for the last quarter of the year could not then be included as they had not been classified.
W. H. MARSH, Colonial Secretary and Auditor General.
Audit Office, Hongkong, 28th April, 1885.
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