298
the present decline of commercial prosperity,
the Severe depression, which has prevailed for some years, render it extremely unlikely that the Executive could increase, or maintain an increased expenditure without aid from some unusual source.
that of 1866, however desirable for suppression of crime. I consider therefore that adopting 1866, as a standard, which, if anything, fixes the liability of the colony at too high a figure!
5. M. Mennie, however, has not been able, as I perceive, to give Your Lordship all the future liabilities of the special fund. Thus he was not in possession of all the details of expenditure on Colonial works, nor of that for opening communication by roads and telegraphs round the Island, nor of that proposed for the Chinese Hospital, &c. Even assuming that he had been able to show legitimate charges against the special fund in excess of those which he has brought forward, nevertheless the truth of Your Lordship's observation is not the less seriously apparent.
It is evident that there must be a considerable balance in hand and that in future the balance will be even larger than that which accrued during 1868. In fact, the fund increases at the rate of $200,000 per annum, whilst only $145,453 has been expended in two years.