1897.
Honourable Gentlemen of the Legisltive Council, I have much pleasure in laying upon the table the Estimates for 1898. These Estimates have been in your hands for the last fortnight. "You ave therefore had sufficient time to give them your careful attention, except in one important item which will necessitate a change in the figures of these Estimates, Before proceeding to deal in detail with those points which call for special remark, it affords me satisfaction to announce that, in deference to the wishes of the Shipping Community, the charge for Light Dues has
ton. Whilst Tam glad to be able to re-been redueed from 28 cents to 1 cent. per deem the promise of the Government in this matter, I would remind you that, if hereafter necessity should ausd for increassing the Revenue, it may be necessary to again raise the shipping charges. I trust that this contingency may not occur.
It gives me equal pleasure to inform you that, notwithstanding the reduction of the Light Dues which will involve a decreas of some $70,000 in the receipts from this source, and the unprecedentedly low value of the dollar, taken at Is, Od., I do not propose to levy any additional taxation. the deficiency, if any, will be fully met by large receipts from Land Sales during the coming year, as well as by the increased value of the Opium Farm. The estimate in the first case is based upon the fact that the Government has a very valuable asset in Taipingshan, a large portion of which will almost certainly be recovered in 1898, as well as in valuable sites in other much-sought-after localities.
T would now invite you attention to the following points,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.