ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS FOR THE YEAR 1921
Table of Contents
1 Finances
2 Shipping and Trade, industries, Fisheries, agriculture and Land
3 Legislation
4 Education
5 Public Works
6 Government and aided institutions
7 Institutions Not Supported By Government
8 Criminal and Police
9 Vital Statistics
10 Postal and Telegraph Services
A Financial Returns
A(1) Finances
B Assessment
C Secretariat for Chinese affairs
D Harbour office
E Imports and Exports office
F Royal Observatory
G Supreme Court
H Police Magistrates' Courts
I Land office
J New Territories
K Police and Fire Brigade
L Prison
M Sanitary
M(1) Medical
N Botanical and forestry
O Education
P Volunteer Corps (Not Published)
Q Public Works
R Post office
S Railway
I.-FINANCES.
The revenue for the year amounted to $17,728,132 being $2,391,782 more than the estimate and $3,038,460 more than the revenue for the previous year.
Compared with the returns for 1920 there were increases under every head.
The expenditure amounted to a total of $15,739,652 inclusive of a sum of $3,053,525 spent on Public Works Extraordinary.
The detailed figures for 1921 are set out in the following
statements :-
Light Dues
HEADS OF REVENUE.
Light Dues, Special Assessment -
Licences and Internal Revenue not otherwise
specified
Fees of Court or Office, Payments for specific purposes, and Reimbursements in Aid -
$
C.
106,417.09
115,710.44
11,644,243.90
1,194,673.94
Post Office
663,914.42
Kowloon-Canton Railway
M
603,980.77
Rent of Government Property, Land, and
Houses
1,158,188.80
Interest
359,473.33
Miscellaneous Receipts
247.431.70
TOTAL, (Ordinary)-
$16,094,034.39
Land Sales, (Premia on New Leases)
TOTAL
1,634,097.55
$17,728,131.94
The total expenditure brought to account amounted to $15,739,652 being $1,609,498 less than the estimate, and $1,250,058 more than the expenditure in 1920. Compared with the estimates there were increases under 18 heads as against 8 heads where there were decreases. The excess amounting to $196,971 under Miscel- laneous Services was due to transport of Government servants, and $210,530 in the case of Kowloon-Canton Railway due to two motor coaches and motor trailer. Military Expenditure was less than the estimate by $202,100 due to recovery of amount overpaid in 1920. Imports and Exports Department shows a saving of $254,086 due to less purchase of Opium and Public Works Extraordinary was less by $1,913,874 than the amount estimated. The item Charge on account of Public Debt was responsible for an excess over the estimates of $108,244 due to lower exchange.
EXPENDITURE.
C.
Governor
91,035.19
Cadet Service
239,948,92
Colonial Secretary's Department and Legis-
lature
58,415.07
Secretariat for Chinese Affairs
18,705.03
Audit Department
51,440.87
Treasury
72,676.59
Harbour Master's Department
350,025.53
Imports & Exports Department
591,756.04
Royal Observatory
32,700.51
Miscellaneous Services
845,413.82
Judicial and Legal Departments -
271,948.20
Police and Fire Brigade
1,527,097.55
Prison Department
299,746.56
Medical Department
378,128.77
Sanitary Department
536,438.13
Botanical and Forestry Department
61,428.11
Education
589,323.92
Military Expenditure -
Public Works Department
Do.
Recurrent
-
Do.
Extraordinary
Post Office -
Kowloon-Canton Railway
Charge on account of Public Debt
Pensions
Charitable Services
TOTAL
2,318,654.02
651,599.00 938,582.38
3,053,525.11.
293,710.10
1,108,838.99
890,336.88
389,845.50
78,331.61
- $15,739,652.40
The balance to the credit on the year's working was $1,988,480 and the assets and liabilities account showed on the 31st December a credit balance of $6,478,746.
The following is a statement of the revenue and expenditure of the Colony for the five years 1917-1921 :-
Revenue.
Expenditure.
$
$
1917
15,058,105
14,090,828
1918
18,665,248
16,252,172
1919
16,524,975
17,915,925
1920
14,689,672
14,489,594
1921
17,728,132 15,739,652
L
5
The amount of the consolidated loan stands at £1,485,733. Against this there is at credit of the Sinking Fund a sum of £368,403. The Local Loan under Ordinance No. 12 of 1916 amounts to $3,000,000 and there are the sums of $664,495 and £89,093 at credit of the Sinking Fund.
A new valuation for Assessment was made for the year com- mencing 1st July, 1921, resulting as follows:-
Increases:
The City of Victoria
$872,540
The Hill District
8,150
Shaukiwan, Saiwanho and Quarry Bay
9,700
Hongkong Villages
36,924
Kowloon Point
124,615
Yaumati
86,705
Mongkoktsui
79,630
Hunghom and Hok Un
40,285
Kowloon Villages.
15,606
13,546
New Territories
The rateable value of the whole Colony amounted to $18,696,660 having increased by $1,287,701.
During the period 1912-1921 the assessment of the whole Colony has risen from $12,312,306 to $18,696,660, an increase in rateable value of $6,384,354.
The circulation on the 31st December of notes of the three Banks having authorised issues was as follows:-
Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Cor-
poration
Chartered Bank of India, Australia, &
China
Mercantile Bank of India, Limited
.$ 40,395,225
9,074,137
1,321,503
$ 50,790,865
The currency of the Colony consists, in addition to the notes of these Banks, of British, Hongkong, and Mexican Dollars and of subsidiary coin, which continued at par throughout the year.
The total issue of subsidiary coins less those demonetized, now amounts to $20,789,370 nominal value, and they were up to the year 1905 readily absorbed at par, large quantities being taken by the neighbouring provinces of China. During 1916 ten cent pieces of the face value of $5,028,000 were shipped to Calcutta for purposes of demonetization. The discount which prevailed be- tween 1905 and 1916 may be attributed to the immense quantity of
6
similar coin which was minted at Canton as well as to the amount of Hongkong coin minted largely in excess of the needs of the Colony by itself In 1905 the Hongkong Government ceased to issue any subsidiary coin and in 1906 it began a policy of demonet- ising all its subsidiary coin received as revenue.
This policy was continuously followed till 1918 except during a brief period in 1911. Coin to the face value of $23,235,459 has thus been redeemed. The total issue by the Hongkong Government was of the face value of about $44,000,000.
II--SHIPPING AND TRADE, INDUSTRIES, FISHERIES,
AGRICULTURE, AND LAND.
(a.) SHIPPING.
The total of the shipping entering and clearing at ports in the Colony during the year 1921 amounted to 672,680 vessels of 43,420,970 tons, which, compared with the figures for 1920, shows a decrease of 10,816 vessels, with an increase of 3,298,443 tons.
Of the above, 52,222 vessels of 27,852,616 tons were engaged in foreign trade, as compared with 43,364 vessels of 24,194,022 tons in 1920 and were distributed as follows :-
1920.
Numbers. Numbers.
1921.
1920.
Tonnage.
1921.
Tonnage.
British Ocean-
going Ships,
9.6%
8.9%
34.5%
33.3%
Foreign Ocean-
going Ships,
12:5
11.1
38.1
38.8
British River
Steamers, ...
11.9
110
13:5
126
Foreign River
Steamers,
40
3.5
2.4
21
Steam Laun-
ches (under
60 tons),
116
12.8
0.7
0.7
Trading Junks,
50:4
52.7
10.8
12:5
100'0
100.0
100.0
100·0