Business of the Admiralty
1157 adjusting the Rentals of complaining Tenants, the Committee came to an unanimous conclusion. Their differences (which arose officially and chiefly between the official and non-official members) had reference to the amount which it was desirable to obtain from the Land Revenue and the mode of laying it. It appears that except for Kate, which is a Police rate slated to be insufficient for the maintenance of the Police establishment, the tax payable at Hong Kong is in the shape of Crown Rents. But notwithstanding this, the non-official members, Mefo Stuart Davidson, whose intelligence and honesty the Governor acknowledges, suggested the abolition of these Rents and the substitution of a tax of 2 per cent on Property, proposed that a deficiency of £5,000 per annum, which they expected to result from this change, should be met by a corresponding reduction of expenditure.
These suggestions, which appear to have emanated originally from Mr Hillier, were combatted by other members of the Committee and the Governor