September 28, 1908.]
owners for failure to comply with the re- quirements of the law under circumstances which, in the majority of cases, rendered compliance impracticable."
Hon. MR. SLADE.-I beg to second this resolution. The hon. member who repre- ents the Chamber of Commerce has very fully dealt with the subject in his remarks, and there is no occasion for me to amplify them. Under the Public Health and Build- ings Ordinance as amended, very large powers were given to the Building Authority under which he could either strictly enforce the terms of the Ordinance or in the exer- cise of his discretion, grant certain modi- fications. This is the first instance which has come prominently before the public in which this discretion might very well have been wisely exercised, and it is disap pointing to find that the Building Authority has not seen fit to use that power given to him. Moreover it does not inspire much confidence in the way in which we look for the Ordinance to be interpreted in the future. I know, Sir, it is your wish that this Ordinance should be interpreted liber: ally, and in a broad-minded manner,
I can only hope some way will be found so that those who are directly connected with the administration of the Ordinance shall in future more effectively carry out your intentions.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
period (Hear, hear). I think that is all I need say on that point, and it very much strengthens and not weakens the resolution as proposed.
The resolution was put, the official members voting against it and the unofficial members for it.
His EXCELLENCY declared the motion lost by seven votes to five.
the year is completed and the accounts finally made up fall information can be given on these matters.
The balance of assets at the closes of 1967 stood at $1,542,247, and this deficit will- reduce them to 8961,126, which we anticipate will represent the amount of our resertos at the end of the current year. You wil', no doubt, observe that out of the total som which will have to be debited to the reserve, vis. $581,000, about $200,000 is on account of the Hon. Mr. MURRAY STEWART-1 beg to ask typhoon refuge whiob, in my statement on the the question standing in my name.
The question was~
RAILWAY BRIDGES.
"With_reference to reports which have appeared in the local Press concerning the alleged unsatisfactory state of some of the stone railway bridges under construction in Kowloon and the New Territory, have the Government any information impart ?"
tu
The COLONIAL SECRETARY replied Such information as the Government are able to give on this subject will presently be com- municated to the Council in the Governor.s Speech when introducing the Estimates.
THE ESTIMATES.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-Sir, I rise to move the first reading of a Bill entitled An Or. dinance to apply a sum uot exceeding Five million five hundred and seventy thousand four hundred and twenty-seven dollars to the Public Seavice of the year 1909.
subject, I said we should have to charge partly against our Reserves. I trust that the romaining quarter of this year will show an improvement in revenue and that this estimated deficit may prove to be an excessive forecast.
b
ESTIMATES FOR NEXT YEAR,
tarn now to the estimates for next year. When introduced the Estimates last year I had to express regret that the revenu, showed a progressive decrease. I am glad to sa that we anticipate that we shall realise in 1909 a somewhat larger total than the amount estimated for the current year. I refer, of course, to ordinary revenue, exclusive of special light dues, widows and orphans fund, and land sales, The estimated increase is 125,806, of which about $82,000 is accounted for DOW sonroes of revenue or increases in the previous duties, etc. Never- theless, there is a small increase of $13,800 and I trust that this increase, however small, may be an augury that we have turned corner and неед the worst year of the depression. Still I must remind you that our Estimated Revenue for 1909 is $388,834 less than the realised ordinary revenue of
previous year. In other words, the revenue for next year is $568,374 less than 1906, which represents the high water mark of of our prosperity. In the decennial period, however, previous to 1906, the gross revenue rose by the amazing figure of 269 per cent- early treble-and we must not therefore regard it as too serious a matter that our estimates of revenus for next year show a decline of 8.6 from the highest we have realized. I have been speaking of ordinary revenue.
The DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS-I beg to submit there are not sufficient grounds to justify the adoption of this resolution by this Council. In support of this I have had a statement prepared which has been laid before the Council. It shows the number of notices issued anding differences between the Estimates for 1908-1907, itself a year of decline, by 2.7 from the
rc-
In connection with it I bag to lay on the table Draft Estimates of Revenue and Expendi- fure for the year 1909; Financial Statement in connection with the Estimates Abstract show 1909.
I
the number that were complied with during the period to which these sum-
The COLONIAL TREASUREE seconded. monses referred to apply. It shows that,
H18 EXCELLENCY said Gentleman, Before notwithstanding the rain storm and the deal with the Estimates for the coming year typhoon, of the notices issued practically I will invite your attention to the Financial three-fourths were complied with and of Statement in connection with them, which has those issued subsequent to the date of the ben lid upon the table! From this you will typhoon quite two thirds were complied with.
see that the balance of Assets on December, That, I think, disposes of the argument that 31st, 1907, stood at $1,541175, while the it was impossible to get work of this kind estimated balance on the 1st December, 1908, carried out. If anything further was
is $961,126 only, owing to the fact that a debit quired in support of that I would point out
balance of $581,149 is anticipated to socrus that the period allowed in the ease of those from the working of the current year. issued subsequent to the occurrence of the will first explain how this defioit-which is typhoon was less than that in the case of those the excess of the revised estimate of ex- issued prior to that date. The seconder of the penditure over the revised estimate of revenue resolution has referred to the large powers-bas arisen. In fact since we anticipated a given to the Building Authority and to the powers of modification more particularly. This matter before the Council, I submit, Sir, has nothing to do with any powers of modi- flcation. The summonses related to matters which dealt with the sanitary maintenance of various properties. They did not deal with anything in which the Building Authority, myself, has power of modification. I wouki point out, Sir, that in no case, except in the course of a verbal conversation with Mr. Shelton Hooper, was any representation made to me that there was any difficulty in carrying out any of these notices. No one sent in any statement asking for a longer period in which to fulfil them, and no communication of any kind was received beyond the mere request of Mr. Hooper, that something might be done to stop for a period the issue of these notices, I therefore submit that there are no grounds for the adoption of this resolution,
Hon. Mr. GRESSON- Sir, with reference to the remarks of the Hon. Director of Public Works, I should think that his own words are the strongest recommendation for the passing of this resolution. He gives figures which clearly state that the hum- ber of summonses issued and the number complied with, in spite of the very extra- ordinary times, is satisfactory. It seems to me therefore that in Hongkong, and I know it is so, everybody is extremely auxious to comply with all reasonable recommendations of the Building or any other authority, and this was done, as the Director of Public Works himself shows. He also referred to the fact that no direct communication was gade to him or that he was not asked for any period of grace. I should say the answer to that is obvious. No such request was made to him because obviously nobody expected sumomscs at the that particular
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surplus of $49,359 our total falling off really amounts to 8630,480. This large sun is in round figures accounted for as follows: -We expect to realise $152,000 less revenue than we estimated for. There is an increase of about $38 000 in the total of ordinary_revenue, but a deficit of $190,000 in land sales. The expenditure of the year is, on the other hand, about $478,000 more than we estimated for. The chief items are as follows:-Coptribution to Flood Relief Fund, $30,000; Typhoon Damages. - excess over estimate, exclusive of harbour- and inclusive of cost of labour and material dae also to floods, $101,600; (a) Balance of excess over savings Public Works Department 88.400. (b) Spent on Typhoon Refuge and Causeway Bay, in excess of estimate, $190,000; excess of expenditure over savings on Public Works Extraordinary, (Dredger $165,000, and for deepening Causeway Bay $10,000) $68,000. Add to this loss on exchange, estimated at 2,- and 21, $80,000, acil we have a total of 8478,000.
When we look at the figures for Ex. tordinary Revenue we see that Land Salon, from which we normally expect to realize about $800,000, only realized $159,750 la 1907, and we are only estimating $110,000 in the current year. I have put the figure for 1909 at $150,000, for I believe the barometer is pointing to better weather, and land sales are the index of our financial barometer. There are two other items under the head of estimated revenue for next year, and both merit a special referenos :
$3,000 is set down as the product of the extra amount levied on shipping with the object of constructing the new typhoon refuge. This is appropriated to the work with an additional contribution from the Government, under Public Works Extraordinary. It represents not merely the product of the extra cent levied on ocean shipping but also the extra des levied on day and night entries of river aeamers. It is put under extraordinary revenue. The Secretary of State and War Office bare agreed to exempt it from military contribution, There is also a sum of $412,300 of which $871,500 represents the invested capital taken over by the Government from `the Widows and Orphans Fund, while $10,80) represents the contributions during the year. The debate on the Ordinance which As these are only approximate forecasts I transferred this fand to the Government is too do not trouble you with details of the recent in your memories to need any detailed excesses and savings either Public Works reference on this occasion. The sum of money Recurrent or Public Works Extraordinary, which it places at the disposal of the Govern The former, varying from year
to year,
ment is the capital fund, the interest on which sometimes showing a small excess, sometimes aig addition to the annual contributions goes to small saving, cannot beestimated with exactitude.hy the annual charges for pensions. This sum In the case of the latter, every excess on ex- of $371,500 is therefore in the nature of a loan: penditure not estimated for has been fully is. the interest upon it in future years in the explained to the Council and vote taken for form of pensions"will have to be met out of it at the time. The sarings which have been current revenue. It should therefore theoreti- effected have not been at the expense of the cally be invested in some remunerative work Law Courts and Post Office, which have been hich would benefit the Colony and at the pushed on as fast as possible. They amount to same time produce sum equivalent to $35,000, of which the postponement of Queen's the interest to meet the new cha Staine Pier, and of part of the work of raising upon the revenues. Seeing however Des Voeux Road account for $10,000 each, and
have to meat a deficit this year lær cattle depôts for $11,000, the remaining $4,000 | the capital sum, I would only have being on survey marks and filter beds. When i by imposing new taxation to this
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