Mr E.W. Murray (subsequently followed by Messrs. E. H. Pollard & J. Sutherland) addressed the meeting at some length on the subject of the Tax of £30,000 proposed to be levied on the Colony.
It was then proposed by the Attorney General, seconded by Mr J Whittall, and carried unanimously.
"That this Meeting views with extreme regret and dissatisfaction the demand that has been made upon this Colony by Her Majesty's Government for a contribution of £20,000 towards the support of the Troops at this Station, and adheres to the fullest extent to the arguments which have been brought before the Secretary of State for the Colonies by H.E. the Governor and fully supports their assertion that the presence of Troops here is unnecessary for any purely Colonial object."
It was then proposed by Mr E.H Pollard, seconded by Mr W. Bridges, and carried unanimously.
"That the demand for a Military Contribution, even if otherwise tenable, would be unjust to the Colony, not only on account of the important services which it renders to Imperial interests by its Gaol, its Courts of Justice and its (intended) Mint, but also in consideration of the great extent of immensely valuable building ground that has been absorbed for Military purposes, and whereby the comfort of the Colonists and the Revenues of the Colony are seriously impaired."
It was then proposed by Mr S. Lutherland, seconded by Mr H.B. Lemann, and carried unanimously.
"That this meeting, whilst acquiescing generally in Mr Mercer’s dispatch of the 2nd December 1863, is unable to concur with that Gentleman in the opinion (Para 33) that the Residents of Hong Kong are lightly taxed. It admits that the existing Taxes may be necessary, but denies that in amount they can be termed light. The expenses connected with a residence here have, it is well known, deterred respectable Chinese from trying their fortunes in the Colony, and it is understood that very little is wanting to cause many who are here to leave. This Meeting, therefore, looking to the best interests of the Colony, earnestly deprecates the imposition of any further Tax (see Para 11 of Sir Hercules Robinson's dispatch of 9th April 1864) which is not required to meet an urgent and admitted want."
It was then proposed by Mr J.G. Linstead, seconded by Mr G.T. Helland.
"That the previous resolutions be embodied in a Memorial to the Right Honorable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, urging the relinquishment of the demand for Military Contribution; and that a petition, as numerously signed as possible, be presented to H.E. the Governor, praying that he will withdraw the Vote of £20,000 for Military Contribution from the Estimates for 1865, pending the Secretary of State's reply."