Sessional_Paper_1887-1888 — Page 333

MESSAGE OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR (SIR G. WILLIAM DES VOEUX, K.C.M.G.) TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN CONNECTION WITH ESTIMATES FOR 1889.

G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.

The Governor has directed to be laid on the table for the consideration of the Legislative Council the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 1889.

REVENUE.

With the taxation remaining as at present the Estimate of Ordinary Revenue would have been $1,740,818, or an increase of $303,148 as compared with the estimated, and of some $253,000 as compared with what will probably be the actual, Revenue of 1888, provision requiring to be made for the largely enhanced price obtained for the new Opium Farm Contract, which will affect nine months of the coming year, and also for substantial improvement in various other items, due principally to the rapidly growing population and increasing prosperity of the Colony, and also in part, as regards Assessed taxes, to more careful rating and better collection.

Ít will however be observed that the actual amount appearing as the estimate of Revenue is $1,737,718, the difference being produced as follows:-Deduction has been made, for reasons given below (i) of $1,100, the amount of tax now received annually from the crews (other than the headmen) of cargo-boats; and (ii) of $47,000 for re- ductions in the assessed rates; while addition has been required of a sum of $45,000, the estimated product of the additional shipping-rate to be levied for the cost of the Gap Rock Light-house.

As regards Extraordinary Receipts-chiefly derived from premiums on the sales of land-which as representing capital are rightly excluded from the accounts of Ordinary Revenue, the amount to be expected will largely depend on (i) the result of the strong representations which have been made by the Governor with the view to the removal of the Military restrictions on the sale of the sites above the Kennedy Road, and (ii) on the approval by Her Majesty's Government of the project, about to be submitted, for the Extension of the Praya in front of the Admiralty and War Office Reserves. Allow- ing however for this item $150,000 a sum likely to be realised under any circumstances, the total receipts of the year would amount to $1,887,718.

EXPENDITURE.

The Ordinary Expenditure is estimated at $1,394,665 or an increase of $62,472 as compared with that for 1888. The apparent increase in Departmental expenses of $91,808 is due, as regards $35,474, to votes for Scavenging and for the Lock Hospital, which have hitherto appeared under the head of Miscellaneous services, and are now transferred to the Sanitary and Medical Departinent respectively. The real increase under this head, $56,334 (principally due to the needs of the increasing population,) will be as usual explained in detail before the Finance Committee. Some of the principal items however deserve special notice.

Surveyor General.

The net increase of the votes for the establishment of this Department amounts in the aggregate to $16,708. The recommendations which involve this increase have been made only after careful consideration and consultation with Mr. PRICE, the Surveyor General, who, it may be remarked, will himself probably derive no benefit from them, as to the Governor's deep regret, the Colony is about to suffer the loss of his most valuable services, he having applied to retire on the ground of ill health.

The duties connected with the Public Works of Hongkong appear to be especially prejudicial to the health of the Officers. The occasions are rare during the hot season when several of the staff are not incapacitated by illness. During the last month no less than nine Officers at one time were unfit for duty, and many works are thereby unduly retarded. As one instance out of many, the Estimates for the Extension of the Praya in front of the Admiralty and War Office property have, owing to this cause, been delayed for several months; and it has therefore been impossible to submit to Her Majesty's Government the scheme for this long-delayed and supremely important improvement, which, the Governor is most glad to announce, received early in the year the concurrence of the local authorities, Civil, Naval and Military, (the question however of the proportion of the cost to be paid respectively by the Local and Imperial Governments remaining yet to be settled):