population, where paramount considerations of a general nature do not interfere.
You have alluded to the fact, that at Singapore Chinese Residents have been introduced with the Municipality. If your Lordship, hereafter, shall select from the Chinese inhabitants persons deserving confidence, whom you may think fit to hold this or other Administrative office, I should be willing to afford assistance.
The experiment, however, should be cautiously made, and until competent Chinese for Legislative Council or other Administrative posts are selected, it is not likely to lead to a moderate increase.
Evidently, confidence had been gained. It is not certain it was wise to place a Chinese in a political position in which he would exercise authority alone, without check in the part of British Officials.
I can see in Atkins' being in the Moderate Committee a matter of the Legislative Council. If that is what your Lordship thinks the decision is, & I approve of the step which you have taken before in laying the Estimates before the Body, inviting their comments upon the items of public expenditure. I shall, however, rely on...
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