, 1881-07-23

1st April 1881 to 3lst March 1892, begged
first to make an apology to the Council that
the Budget is introduced so late. about
four months into the financial year for
which it is intended, while the Draft of the
Budgets ought to be laid before the Coan-
Gil and be resolved on before the COM
mencement of the financial year for which
they were intended the delay was, how
ever, nothing new. He had done his best
to have the Draft ready in time, and he
would add, that in future he would use
his best %endeavours to have the Budget
laid before the Council, and if possible
resolved on, before The financial year for
which it is to be used. In now going over
to the Draft itself, he would beg to remark
in reference to the Revenues, that these
are as usual put down according to the
returns of the three foregoing years, and
the averages of those years have been
strictly stuck to this year. It will be
noticed that the Draft shews a Total
Revenue of $l5S,000 and a Total Expendi-
ture of 3237,233.I5 or C. $4,000 less expen-
diture than last year. The large amount
entered as guarantee for the Central Fac
tory and the large military expenses have
caused the deficit Of C. $79, 900 appearing
on this Budget. On those two last items he
could not say much if the Home Govern
ment, as has been in prospect, will assist
the colony by assuming the military
expenses, we will still nave the liabilities
for the Factory. Otherwise our ordinary
expenses could be covered by the revenues
calculated on-although these have been
based on a crop of 5000 hhds. which
is under an average crop. But he was
happy to say that the crop exported had
already surpassed that calculation up to
the end of June there had been exported
5000 hhdS. and according to information
gained from merchants and others there
are between 1900 and 1000 hhds. more to
be Skipped, so that the Island will AVE
made this year an average crop, or C.
$4,000 hhdS. The export duty is put down
at S2S,S00, but to the present we have
already an income ofabOut S22, 900 taking
in consideration the export in January,
February and March next year, it does
not appear Oyerrated to expect in all about
5000 more, and even more than that, it
the present good prospects of the coming
crop be realized. 1t has, furthermore,
been a general experience that increased
exports and favorable prospects for a com
ing crop have given encouragement to in
creased Imports, we might therefore also
expect an increase of the import-duty,
which had been put down with the average
of the last 8 years $4,000. We might con
Sequently, without being too Sanguine in
our expectation, on the whole reckon on
a Total Revenue of about $4,000 instead
of $3.50 e.
With regard to the Expenditure, he
would first beg to observe, that the Draft
contains the remark under item A /, that
of the sum of SI2,650 allowed by law or by
grant under this head, only $40, $50 will be
used; but he begged to point out thai this
latter figure is by an oversight put down
too high, the total expenditure for the
superior local Administration being for the
financial year $9,925, which is owing to
the late changes in the local Administra-
ton, whereby So, 725 are saved, an amount
more than sufficient to defray the pension
of the former President and Vicegovernor.
The salary etc. to the actin! President is
S4.75O instead of Sc, 900; The acting Secre.
tary receives in all 81, 775; the one
clerk receives S1,l00; then there are
$500 for providing for future assistance in
the Office, the usual 81 SEQ for extra writ.
ing, stationary ETC., and $500 for travelling
expenses for the Governor on his official
visits to the Island. making a total under
this head Of $9,925 as mentioned. The
next observation he had to make is under
@ !, the different branches of Admins
tration etc. The salary forthe Inspector of
Buildings, is put down to $3.50 instead of
$500 as fixed by former enactments, which
was owing to an agreement last year
between the Policemaster and the Presi-
dency, by which, as it was difficult to find