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812
into an exercise ground or employ it as a site for barracks.
The only object of the reservation having ceased to exist,
the Military Authorities should buy the land required for
exercising and housing troops.
15.
With respect to paragraph 13 of the
General Officer Commanding's letter, I concede that the
presence of troops in this Colony assists in the control of
the populace, just as the presence of troops in Ireland assists
in the government of that country.
I also agree that they should be placed
in the best position to act, and be given every necessary
comfort and convenience within reason.
But this does not affect the question
whether the Military Authorities are to treat Military Reserve
Land as their own absolute property to exchange or sell or
otherwise dispose of as they will. The test of whether the
land is their own is, whether the Military Authorities could exchange, sell or otherwise deal with such lands without the consent of the Colonial Government. It is a Military duty to station the troops to the best advantage and to give them every reasonable comfort; but this duty on the part of the Military Authorities does not impose upon the Colonial Government any correlative duty of supplying the land free or
of affording comfort gratis.
16.
As regards paragraphs 14 and 15 of the General Officer Commanding's letter, the British tax-payer is not the only person who contributes to the upkeep of the
garrison here.
If foreigners, including Chinese, and