46
You. 3836,
Do
↑
would also be at home this summer.
2.
I informed these gentlemen that in my
view any action they desired to take in England could only with
propriety be based on the initiative of the Legislative Council
here, and I was confident that if they approached you in a
private capacity in England you would merely refer their appeal
to myself. At the same time I spoke quite frankly with them,
and allowed them under the seal of confidence to peruse my
[130g of but 28
1989
public despatch No. 43 of October 25th., 1908.
3.
The Unofficial Members and the community
at large as represented by the local Press have as you are
aware for many years contended that the Military Contribution
was much too heavy.
In 1908 shortly after my arrival in
[?3094bit
the Colony I studied the subject carefully and embodied my 28th 1909] conclusions in my Despatch No. 43 of October 25th., 1908, and
at the same time I stated my opinion in Council that the amount
of the contribution was not excessive, though I thought that
the method of its assessment did not in practice give effect to
Mr. J. Chamberlain's intention when he instituted it, viz.:-
that it should rise and fall automatically with the prosperity
of the Colony. Since that date there has been a cessation of
X1V 38636/09
the