Confidential.
465
No. 95
32
HONGKONG.
DESPATCHES WITH REFERENCE TO THE MILITARY CONTRIBUTION AND BARRACK ACCOMMODATION FOR THE GARRISON AT HONGKONG.
Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.
(Colonial Secretary to Senior Unofficial Member, Legislative Council.)
No. 13.
SIR,
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 2nd August, 1895.
I am directed by His Excellency the Governor to transmit to you, for the consideration of yourself and your colleagues in the Legislative Council, a copy of No. 156 of 27th June, 1895. a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies in regard to the Military Contribution to be paid by Hongkong towards the support of the Imperial Garrison.
You will learn from this despatch that Her Majesty's Government has decided to fix this contribution in future at a certain proportion, viz., 173 per cent. of the revente of the Colony exclusive of the proceeds of land sales or premia on leases.
The effect of this will be, so far as the year 1895 is concerned, that the con- tribution will be $353,000 there or thereabouts instead of $384,000 as provided in the Appropriation Ordinance.
Lord RIPON suggests that a permanent Ordinance should be passed appro- priating 17 per cent, of the Colonial revenue to the use of the Imperial Govern- inent as a Military Contribution, thus removing from the arena of public debate, a question which in the past has given rise to some vexation and irritation.
His Excellency fully concurs in this suggestion and trusts that it will recom- mend itself unanimously to the Unofficial Members of Council.
I am also to forward to you for your consideration a copy of a further No. 83 of 3rd April, 1895, despatch from Lord RIPON enclosing an amended schedule of "Barrack Services"
required in the Colony in consequence of the increased Garrison stationed here.
It will be observed that the expenditure on this account will be divided in the proportion of 3rds. to the Imperial and rd. to the Colonial Government, and that the expenditure will be spread over a period of ten years.
The contribution from the Colony for 1895 will be $25,000, and the Governor bas been instructed to take a vote for that amount at an early date. These works will doubtless involve a very large expenditure in the Colony which will directly benefit a large number of contractors and many members of the labouring classes, and this expenditure will also indirectly benefit the revenue of the Colony.
I am to call your special attention to paragraphs 2 and 3 of this despatch and C.O. Cir. 30th Dec.. 180. to enclose at the same time in clucidation thereof a copy of the Secretary of State's
Circular Despatch of the 30th December last.
His Excellency the Governor proposes to call a meeting of the Legislative Council about the middle of this month in order to pass the Ordinance and to take the vote referred to in this letter, and he confidently anticipates that you and the Unofficial Members will agree to these measures, and will support the Imperial Government generally in a matter which is of the greatest importance from an Imperial as well as a Colonial point of view.
The Honourable C. P. CHATER,
Senior Unofficial Member,
Legislative Council.