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4. I see no other reduction that can be conveniently effected now, but both the Treasurer and the Surveyor General agree with me in thinking it only fair that the Imperial Government should be asked to bear half the annual cost of the Observatory, say $3,000 per annum.
This institution is quite as useful to Imperial as to Local interests, and its construction has already cost the Colony $34,500. It would be only reasonable we think that the cost of making observations should be borne partly by the Imperial Government and partly by the Colony.
5. If my recommendations are approved, the Estimates of Expenditure will be reduced
from
to.....
.$1,173,581 1,085,681
leaving an estimated margin of Revenue of about $50,000 for unforeseen Expenditure. It would not be safe in my opinion to provide a smaller margin than this.
6. As regards the extraordinary works to be executed next year and charged against balances, which it is estimated will not exceed $657,500 on 1st January next, I beg to recommend that the following items be placed on the Estimates.
(a.) Tytam Water Works.-The sooner this work is completed the better; a large
sum is therefore set down,
(b.) Military Defences,
(c.) Central School, transferred from Estimates of ordinary expenditure, C.8.0. 2091. (d.) Drains and Sea-wall at Lápsápwán which Government is bound to make in
fulfilment of agreement with purchasers of land in that District,....
C.S.0.3022. (e.) Completion of Steam Dredger and cost of dredging operations,.
(f) Unspent balance of vote for repairs of Typhoon damages of 1884, re-vote, (9.). Sanitary Works, the details of which will be laid before the Public Works
Committee before their execution is sanctioned,......
.$ 200,000
200,000
50,000
75,000 10,000
...
9,700
50,000
$594,700
It is possible
The Colony is in my opinion pledged to the whole of the works above referred to. however that the whole of the money set down opposite the different items will not be spent next
year
in which case the balances will have to be carried on to 1886.
The Surveyor General suggests that the construction of a permanent Quarantine Station, which was referred to in paragraph 12 of my report of 10th November last as a work of pressing necessity, might be deferred for the present, as the temporary buildings which were erected last year may be put in good order at a cost of $500, and may prove sufficient for all requirements during next ycar. It has not therefore been included in the works proposed to be executed next year.
7. Should my recommendation be approved the accumulated balances will be reduced by the end of the year 1885 to about $50,000. As far as it is possible to foresee at the present moment, the financial position of the Colony at the beginning of 1886 will therefore be as follows. The accumulated balances of previous years will be nearly all spent, and the Colony will have $1,000,000 raised on loan to expend on public works, in addition to what can be spared for that purpose out of current revenue. There will also be the sums produced by sales of land, which have not been taken into account at all in the preceding estimates as it is impossible to estimate beforehand what they will yield.
8. The public works which have been commenced and must be continued during 1886 are the following:-
Tytam Water Works, Military Defences,
Central School,
$300,000
52,000
40,000
$392,000
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