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without putting a check upon works already begun, but otherwise it would be better to postpone this work, which though desirable does not seem to be one of immediate urgency.
15. I approve the proposed erection of Police Station at Quarry Bay (Item 20) and am glad to observe that the Estimate has been reduced from $9,000 (as voted last year) to $7,000.
16. I will defer sanctioning the reconstruction of the Governor's Peak resi- dence (Item 25) pending the receipt of the plans and estimates of the proposed new building.
17. In the absence of further information as to its urgency, I withhold my sanction from (Item 28) Sháukiwán Market Extension, which might probably be postponed without serious inconvenience.
18. I am glad that your Government adopted the recommendation of the Un-official Members of the Council to omit the proposed vote for new Government Offices and Law Courts, as not being of pressing necessity, and I have to express my concurrence generally in the views set forward in their Memorandum of the 20th of December, especially as regards the desirability of pushing to completion all works already begun, before entering upon any new works unless absolutely necessary, and also as regards the impropriety of sanctioning and commencing any works before detailed drawings and estimates have been prepared.
T
agree
in the opinion expressed in the concluding portion of this Memoran- dum as to the importance of consulting the Un-official Members of Council before committing the Colony to any serious expenditure.
19. Subject to the above remarks and to the remarks contained in my sepa- rate despatch as to the increased salaries, I approve the Estimates for the current year.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient,
humble Servant,
KNUTSFORD.