Sessional_Paper_1890 — Page 255

251

No. 12

90.

HONGKONG.

DESPATCH RESPECTNG ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND

EXPENDITURE FOR 1890.

Presented to the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government.

DOWNING STREET,

Hong KoNG. No. 67.

SIR,

18 April, 1890.

I have had under consideration the Estimates of the Revenue and Expenditure of Hong Kong for 1890 which accompanied Sir GEORGE DES VŒUX's despatch No. 391 of the 24th of December last.

2. Subject to the reservations contained in the following remarks, I approve of the proposed expenditure.

Sir

3. In his Despatch No. 326 of the 21st of November 1888, Sir GEORGE DES Vœux enclosed a scheme by the Head Master of the Central School according to which considerable additions would be made to the salaries of his staff. GEORGE DES VEUX stated that he was not prepared to adopt this scheme without consulting me, and added that he hesitated to put' the salaries at the figures suggested. In reply I requested him to make recommendations on the subject after consultation with the Executive Council. It now appears that Mr. WRIGHT'S scheme has been practically adopted en bloc. In the absence of any explanation, I can only conclude that after due deliberation and consultation with the Executive Council, Sir GEORGE DES VEUX's hesitation as to adopting Mr. WRIGHT'S scheme was removed, and that the salaries now proposed are not considered more than sufficient for securing the services of competent masters. On that understanding I approve of these increases. The salaries affected will of course be thus removed from the operation of any general scheme of increase which may be adopted on account of a rise in the cost of living in the Colony.

4. Under the Head of Works and Buildings, I observe an increase of the vote for Repairs from $21,000 to $25,000. This I presume is in consequence of the damage done by the great rain-storm. But whatever the cause may be it should have been stated in the notes, the increase being a considerable one. The increases for maintenance of water works" and for "Miscellaneous Works are even greater in proportion to the total amount and deserve some words of explanation.

"

5. The preceding remark applies equally to the increase of the item for "Local Police Telegraph services" under the head "Miscellaneous" and to that for "Printing Forms and Documents for all Departments.'

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6. A very large proportion of the total proposed increase of ordinary expen- diture, (indeed nearly one half), is under the Surveyor General's Department. SIR GEORGE DES VEUX appears to have practically embodied in the Estimates the staff proposed in his Despatch No. 234 of the 27th of July last. This would account for something like $16,000 or $17,000 out of the total increase of $24,482.

The Officer Administering the Government of

HONGKONG.

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