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every endeavour has been made to facilitate the leasing of ground by Chinese in order to increase the number of permanent residents and to improve their condition. But when large Reserves are maintained, our brost promising villages the progress is deterred, and an important outlet for native enterprise is closed.
For many years past Stanley has been practically given up as a Military station. The Artillery, unless a small body was usually gone out there once a year for practice, and one large building has been kept up in tolerably decent order. The late Typhoons have levelled the delapidated rollen structure, which were an eyesore to an otherwise pretty site and as a matter of fact there are some what valuable ground being left un-employed owing to the circumstance of the land having been set aside for certain purposes under circumstances now entirely altered.
I trust that I have said enough to induce Your Lordship to cause the matter to be referred to the Bar office. I would suggest that sanction be obtained for the Reserves both at Clanley and Sai-wan being restored to the Crown, or at any rate that only the requisite portion of the former be retained for Military purposes. This will, I am satisfied, ensure the greater part being given up for agriculture.