Secretary Labouchere (in his Suratc Jo 128 of 10th November 1856) whenever, after the completion of the Public works then sanctioned, the funds of the Colony should furnish construction.
The resistance to the Praya which has been perseveringly felt by Mr. Bent, L.C., has been chiefly confined to a few influential merchants in this Colony who, having largely invaded the rights of the Crown and appropriated to their private use what was always intended (as all the Leases provide) for Public purposes, have, whenever the question came to be discussed of the erection of that portion of the Praya of which they hold the frontage, created and kept alive an opposition under which the Government has been temporarily compelled to succumb.
I should mention here that the whole amount of Land recovered and appropriated by the Lessees against the rights of the Crown amounts to 293,685 square feet in addition to areas granting only 260,326 square feet.
The opposition to the Praya was carried home to the Colonial office, but Mr. Secretary Labouchere advised that Mr. Bent's objections had been duly considered by Her Majesty's Government but were not held to be valid. I received