Sessional_Paper_1890 — Page 357

HONGKONG.

353

No. 18

90,

REPORT ON THE BLUE BOOK AND DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS FOR 1889.

Laid before the Legislative Council, by Command of His Excellency

the Officer Administering the Government.

1.-TAXATION.

There have been no changes under this head.

2.-REVENUE AND EXPENDiture.

The Revenue amounted to $1,978,274.73, or excluding premiums from Land Sales to $1,823,549.13; and the Expenditure amounted to $1,833,718.79, including Extraordinary Works; excluding these, to $1,459,167.16.

The Revenue and Expenditure for the past five years have been:—

Extraordinary

Expenditure, including

$475,147.24

Year.

Revenue.

Premiums from Land.

Ordinary Expenditure.

Defensive Works.

1885,. .$1,251,889.70 1886........

.... 1,367,977.74

$ 66,658.50

$1,146,103.15

34,731.59

1,195,236.81

825.624.84

1887,. ...... 1,427,485.79

1888, 1,557,300.03

1888,.......

................

155,238.02

1,278,181.68

744,820.38

160,688.64

1,461,459.64

530,870.03

1889, 1,823,549.13

154.725.60

1,459,167.16

374,551.63

3. LOCAL REVENUES.

The Chinese inhabitants contributed in 1889, by voluntary assessment among them- selves, to the pay of the District Watchmen,

and received from the Government for the same object a grant-in-aid of

4. ASSETS AND LIABILITIES.

.$7,350.13 2,084.00

On the 31st December, 1889, the assets of the Colony exceeded its liabilities by...$505,109.87 (a) The surplus assets in:-

1884, were 1885,

$729,562.02 ..$427,692.42

In 1886, the liabilities exceeded the assets by ......$191,512.29

In 1887, the surplus assets were..

1888,

No new loan has been raised.

Do.

.$ 631,374.08 (b)

.$ 360,649.76

5.-PUBLIC DEBT.

Amount of Sinking Fund, £17,680.

Amount of present Loan, £200,000.

6. MILITARY EXPENDITURE.

The Military Expenditure (inclusive of the Volunteer Corps) defrayed by the Colony during the

last six

years has been as follows:-

Military Contribution, exclusive of Defensive Works, and

inclusive of Volunteer Corps.

1884,

1885,

1886,

1887,

>

1888,

1889,

.$114,498.78

.$117,337.00

$124,561.68

$128,815.63

$134,594.68

.$134,261.12

· Defensive Works.

Defensive Works.

$ 3,464,64

£

650. 0.4

$ 68,153.45

$217,901.45 $258,444.28 $ 62,115.90

£12,576.10.2

£39,230. 0.0

£43,710. 7.6

$ 63,753.73

£10,036. 4.0 £9,678,14.5

(a.) This included a sum of $50,000 debited to the Post Office, it has been ascertained that this sum has been embezzled by the Superin. tendent of the Money Order Office.

(3) A loan of £200,000 having been raised during 1887 to be paid off on the 1st of March, 1907,