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delay experienced by boats seeking shelter at low water by
enabling them to take shelter without having to wait for
the tide to cover the area referred to. This work was
pressed by the Committee as urgent and I have anticipated
your approval by giving instructions for it to be put in
hand. The Estimates for the current year provide a sum of
$25,000 for the "Mongkoktsul Breakwater
typhoon refuge
for small craft" which I propose to devote to the cost of
this work. The work will be done by manual labour and
tenders are at present being invited for it.
6.
There remains the question of
meeting the expenditure involved by both these schemes and
on this point I have with the advice of the Executive
Council, (Mr. E. A. Hewett the nominee in the Legislative
Council of the Chamber of Commerce alone dissenting) to
recommend that half the expenditure,jestimated at
$1,610,000
000,] be met out of the Colony's Reserves while the
other half be raised by temporarily increasing Light Dues
on Ocean-going Vessels from 1 cent to 24 cents per ton and
on River Steamers from one-third to five-sixth of a cent
per ton for each entry by day or by night. At present
River Steamers only pay for night entries. Having regard
to the nature of the proposed improvement of the facilities
offered