HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 127 7TH OCTOBER, 1909. PRESENT:― connection with the Estimates for 1910; and an HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR abstract showing the differences between the FREDERICK JOHN DEALTRY LUGARD, Estimates of Expenditure for 1909 and 1910. K.C.M.G., C.B., D.S.O. Market Byelaws THE COLONIAL SECRETARY―I beg to HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR-GENERAL R. G. BROADWOOD, C.B., A.C.D. (General Officer move that the approval of this Council be Commanding). given to the Market Bye Laws under the Public Health and Buildings Ordinances, 1903. Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Colonial These bye-laws have been made by the Secretary). Sanitary Board. Hon. Mr. W. REES DAVIES, K.C. (Attorney- THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, General). and the motion was agreed to. HON. Mr. C. MCI. MESSER (Colonial Standing Committees Treasurer). HIS EXCELLENCY ― I appoint the following Committees for the session 1909- HON. MR. P. N. H. JONES (Director of 1910:― Public Works). Finance Committee―All the members of HON. MR. A. W. BREWIN (Registrar- the Council excepting the Governor, the General). Colonial Secretary to be Chairman. HON. MR. F. J. BADELEY (Capt. Law Committee ― The Captain Superintendent of Police). Superintendent of Police, Hon. Dr. Ho Kai, HON. Dr. HO KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. Wei Yuk, Hon. Mr. Murray Stewart, the Attorney-General to be Chairman. Hon. Mr. E. OSBORNE. Public Works Committee ― The Colonial HON. MR. E. A. HEWETT. Treasurer, Hon. Mr. Osborne, the Director of HON. MR. MURRAY STEWART. Public Works to be Chairman. Malicious Damage Ordinance Hon. Mr. WEI YUK, C.M.G. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the MR. C. CLEMENTI (Clerk of Councils). third reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance Minutes to amend the Malicious Damage Ordinance, The minutes of the last meeting were read 1865. and confirmed. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, Financial Minutes and the motion was agreed to. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by Governor-in-Council Relief Ordinance command of His Excellency the Governor, laid THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the on the table Financial Minutes (Nos. 40 and third reading of the Bill entitled an Ordinance 41), and moved that they be referred to the to relieve the Governor in Council of certain Finance Committee. duties. THE COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded, and the motion was agreed to. and the motion was agreed to Papers —— THE ESTIMATES. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY, by command of His Excellency the Governor, laid THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved the on the table the following papers:― Summary first reading of a Bill entitled an Ordinance to of recommendations made by the apply a sum not exceeding Five million six Retrenchment Committee; Byelaws made hundred and twenty-five thousand six hundred under section 16 of the Public Health and and eighty-three Dollars to the Public Service Buildings Ordinance, 1903, Draft Estimates of the year 1910. for the year 1910; Financial Statements in 128 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL The Bill was as follows:― THE COLONIAL SECRETARY seconded. Whereas the expenditure required for the HIS EXCELLENCY said:―Gentlemen, ― service of this Colony for the year 1910 has, When I introduced the Estimates last year I apart from the contribution to the Imperial pointed out that although we had estimated for Government in aid of Military Expenditure, an increase in 1909 over 1908 on ordinary been estimated at the sum of Five million six revenue of $126,000, due chiefly to increase in hundred and twenty-five thousand six and certain licence fees, nevertheless the ordinary eighty-three Dollars: revenue for the current year would be Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong $389,000 below the realised revenue of 1907 with the advice and consent of the Legislative and $568,374 below that of 1906. The papers Council thereof, as follows:― now laid before you show that some improvement has taken place, and the 1. This Ordinance may be cited as the anticipated ordinary revenue of 1909 will, if "Appropriation Ordinance for 1910." realised, exceed that of 1908 by $98,513, and 2. A sum not exceeding Five million six only falls short of 1907 by $309,168 instead of hundred and twenty-five thousand six hundred $389,000. This, moreover, takes no account of and eighty-three Dollars shall be and the same the new liquor duties collected during the is hereby charged upon the revenue and other current year, which I dare say will add another funds of the Colony for the service of the year half lakh at least to our revenue this year. The 1910 and the said sum so charged may be actual ordinary revenue last year was expended as hereinafter specified, that is to $6,034,849, while it is estimated that the say:― probable amount realised this year, Expenditure irrespective of liquor duties, will be $6,133,362, which is $79,666 in excess of the Governor, ...................................... $84,878 estimate. The decrease, however, in land sales Colonial Secretary's Department (under extraordinary revenue), which were and Legislature, ........................ 68,542 estimated at $150,000 and will probably yield Registrar-General's Department, .. 45,985 only $72,800, eliminates this surplus, and Audit Department, ........................ 28,305 leaves the total anticipated revenue for the Treasury, ........................................ 59,597 current year practically identical with the Harbour Master's Department, ..... 229,931 original estimate, irrespective of the half lakh Observatory, .................................. 22,029 from liquor duties. Poor as the land sales have Miscellaneous Services, ............... 144,307 been this year, they are nevetheless better than Judicial and Legal Departments, .. 233,677 last year by some $3,500, and if they may be Police and Prison Departments, ... 739,157 regarded as an index of prosperity it is Medical Departments, ................... 236,546 gratifying to note that they show an upward Sanitary Departments, .................. 358,018 tendency, however slight. Botanical and Forestry The financial statement shows the estimated Department, .............................. 50,495 balance of assets on December 31 next to be Education, ..................................... 237,459 $1,350,108, as against $1,073,041 last year, a Military Expenditure,― satisfactory increase of about three lakhs. Volunteers, ................................ 42,135 From this large reserve we hope in part to Public Works,― meet the cost of building the new typhoon Public Works Department, ....... 333,582 refuge. Public Works, Recurrent, ......... 427,500 Our total estimate of revenue ordinary and Public Works, Extraordinary, ... 940,820 extraordinary for next year stands at Special Land Resumption, ....... 374,805 $6,908,797 and our expenditure is estimated at Post Office, ................................... 444,313 $6,951,542, which shows an excess of Kowloon-Canton Railway, ........... 100,000 expenditure of $42,745. This in the Charge on account of Public Debt, 176,206 circumstances is justifiable, since (as I shall Pensions, ....................................... 227,940 explain in reviewing the heads of revenue) our Charitable Services, ...................... 19,456 estimate is in one or two cases a conservative ————— one, which may probably be Total, .............. $5,625,683 HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 129 exceeded, and, on the other hand, no sum has probably accrue from the closing of the divans, been included on account of the contribution and will be covered by the extra duties on promised by the Imperial Government to the liquor. You will recollect that I stated in regard loss on opium, since there has been no time to to this question that the first proposal of ascertain the intentions of the Home raising the liquor licence fees did not provide Government. for the loss on opium, for which, had that proposal been adhered to, additional taxation The Problem. would have had to be imposed. Pawnbrokers' licences are expected, judging by the Generally speaking, our problem this year experience of this year, to increase by $2,300, was to raise sufficient revenue, or to decrease and prospecting licences decrease by $2,000. expenditure, to meet in the first place the deficit of four lakhs which in the current year I have made a guess estimate of $600,000 was provided by the, so to speak, fortuitous for the product of the new liquor duties, while appropriation of the Widows' and Orphans' $60,000 is estimated as the cost of machinery Fund, together with an extra lakh for the for enforcing them, and licence fees will difference between the interest paid this year probably decrease by $31,300, leaving a net 1 on the railway, with 2 4 lakhs for opium loss increase from taxation of liquor, after a rebate and 3 lakh for working expenses of the has been made to the military and naval forces 4 of $508,700. Stamp duties, owing to the railway, for half a year―a total of about eight regulation enforcing a stamp on receipts over lakhs. Of this we get a net five lakhs from $10 and also to better collection will, it is liquor and one from stamp dues, while the anticipated, yield an extra lakh. The fees for remaining two are provided partly by local registration of companies, judging by the retrenchments in expenditure and partly by current year, will produce $3,600 more than anticipated increase in the existing sources of last year's estimate. The total increase under revenue. In 1911 we shall probably have an licences and internal revenue is estimated at additional six lakhs to provide on railway $4,660,858, an increase of $497,176 on this account, and this, I hope, will be largely met year's estimate. Under the third head, there by the cessation of expenditure on the Post were last year a considerable number of over- Office and Law Courts and by an increased estimates: Bills of health, $1,100; fees of yield from the liquor and stamp dues.