Sessional_Paper_1898 — Page 371

HONGKONG.

367

No. 29

98

REPORT ON THE ASSESSMENT FOR 1898-99,

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government.

ASSESSOR'S OFFICE, HONGKONG, 21st July, 1898.

SIB, I have the honour to submit my Report on the Assessment for the year 1898-99.

2. The City of Victoria. The result of the new Valuation is that the Rateable Value of the City of Victoria is, in the List which came into force on the 1st instant, $3,828,577 as compared with last year's (1897-98) Assessment $3,444,514-an increase in Rateable Value of $384,063, equivalent to 11.14 per cent.

3. The Hill District.-The Rateable Value of the Hill District is now $133,765 against $117,435 last year-an increase of $21,330, or 18.16 per cent.

4. Hongkong Villages.-There is an increase of $20,446 or 13.44 per cent. in the Rateable Value of the Hongkong Villages, which is now $172,543 against $152,097 last

year.

5. Kowloon Point.-The Rateable Value of this portion of the Kowloou Peninsula is now $137,335 as compared with $118,970 last year-an increase of $18,365, or 15.43 per cent.

6. Kowloon Villages.-The Rateable Value of the Kowloon Villages (which include Yau Ma Ti and Hung Hom) is now $244,727-an increase of $37,241, or 17.94 per cent. over last year's figure of $207,486.

7. The Whol Colony. The Rateable Value of the whole Colony is now $4,521,947 as compared with last year's Assessment of $4,040,50%-an increase of $481,445, or 11.91 per cent.

8. Interim Valuations.--Daring the period from 1st July, 1897, to 1st June, 1898, Interim Valuations have been made as follows:-

In the City of Victoria.

222 new tenements, rateable value

53 improved tenements, rateable value

Replacing Assessments, amounting to....

..$162,310

.$ 43,480 29,575

13,905

$176,215

21,980

.$154,235

29 Assessments cancelled, tenements pulled down, or being in

other respects not rateable

Increase in City of Victoria,.......

In the Rest of the Colony.

237 new tenements, rateable value...

8 improved tenements, rateable value Replacing Assessments, amounting to

.....$ 63,674

.$ 15,845 7,745

8,100

$ 71,774

18,546

147 Assessments cancelled, tenements pulled down, or being in

other respects not rateable

Increase in Rest of the Colony....$ 53,228

The total number of tenements affected by Interim Valuations being 696 and the increase in Rateable Value $207,463.

9. Vacant Tenements.-The number of reported vacant tenements in the City of Victoria in- spected under section 35 of the Rating Ordinance averaged about 125 monthly against 170 last year.

10. Tabular Statements.---The usual tabular statements giving comparisons of the Valuation for 1897-98 and the new Valuation for 1898-99 are attached.