to render it necessary for the former to enforce a demand by distress; and it seemed to me not impossible that the example of the latter might encourage others of the inhabitants to offer a "passive resistance" to the enactments, which would have given rise to great confusion.
I have therefore deemed it preferable to lay the whole matter before your Lordship in the full belief that all private Buildings, no matter by whom occupied, beyond the limits of the Military Cantonments are subject to taxation; my own bungalow and that at present occupied by Admiral Austen, the Naval Commander-in-Chief's, are striking instances of the rule; and further, that your Lordship may see in what strain the Board of Revenue and Mr. Assistant Commissary General Smith have seen fit to animadvert upon the local Government.
The remonstrances of both parties appear to me to be very exceptionable both in tone and language; especially that of Mr. Assistant Commissary General Smith who goes the length of imputing to the local Government dishonesty of purpose, as will be understood from the following portion of his letter of the 27th October - "particularly as the nominal appearance of 'increase in the Colonial Revenue' might perhaps prevent the otherwise practicable reductions of Colonial Expenditure". It is needless to pronounce this insinuation perfectly groundless in itself.
It is one that a Gentleman of Mr. Smith's standing...
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