10
accommodation to 13,636 Chinese; so that each Male...9.4.64.
Female 2,510. 1,862.
Stance pays an annual ground rent of £2.1.ar, either 1863 each individual about 5/3, and, if children be excluded, each adult 6/0¢ for the ground on which he resides. The above mentioned Houses, already observed, are within the City of Victoria. Mr. May estimates, (Enclosure F), that outside its limits, in the Villages and on the Sea Coast, are 963 more Stone Houses, occupied by 5,018 Chinese. These pay an annual ground rent of £976.8.9, i.e., 5/6-7 per house and 1/3 for each individual.
In the Blue Book of 1849, the Chinese Population of the Island is returned at 28,297. This Estimate includes Chinese in European employ, and Boat population, neither of which are considered in the above calculation. Your Lordship will further observe from Mr. May's Report that the number of Stone Houses occupied in Victoria in 1846 amounted to 784, paying a Police Rate of £1688.18.1, and that in 1850 the number of Houses of the same description was 1620 paying a Police Rate of £2,605.16.7.
No.26.
Males.. 18,763.
Females.. 4,675.
Children.. 4,861.
290
The Police Rate is a tax at the rate of 5 per cent on the Annual rental of each house; it has steadily increased during the past five years, which is mainly to be attributed to the erection of Houses intended to be occupied by Chinese tenants. This fact must be taken, in my judgment, as a tolerable proof that, so far as the Chinese are concerned, they themselves do not conceive they have any ground of complaint.
11. Enclosure I shows that the Balance of the land tax at present amounts to £7,789, and that the land for which this sum is paid is occupied by 5419 Houses and affords accommodation to 1,210. Each House pays on an average little above £22 per year, and each occupant, between £6 and 7. This would undoubtedly be a very exorbitant tax on the Foreign inhabitants, if one among many others; but I must remind Your Lordship that, with the exception...