:
:
:
Council at its last Meeting that a small but important
section of the shipping community are opposed to the
306
temporary raising of the Light Dues, and even go so far as
to question the need for the shelter the necessity of
which they in cormon with the rest of the community have
hitherto strongly urged upon the Government. To meet their
views I reduced the proposed increase from 14 cents to 1
cent, and the Resolution was carried with only two dis-
-sentients one of whom though voting against it as Member
for the Chamber of Commerce who had asked for postponement
of the Resolution, had declared himself personally in its
favour as moderate and reasonable. The arguments in the
matter are dealt with in the observations with which I
introduced the Resolution (copy of Hansard enclosed). The
practical unanimity of the Legislative Council goes to show
that the opposition of a small part of the shipping
interest does not represent the view of the corvmunity and
even were the majority of the Europeans opposed to the
expenditure on this shelter, it would in my opinion he
necessary to undertake it on behalf of the Chinese section
of the population who are unanimously in favour of it. Its
object is in fact chiefly to protect Chinese life and
onclosure 2.
property