=
I
protection the community as formerly, consequently crime has increased, both assaults on the person and burglaries.
The Colony has further had to inaugurate what
practically amounts to a preventive custom service in
order to collect the new spirit duties and so on. It
all means expense which the Colony can ill afford to
bear.
63
As you know, the interest on the new railway
loan has to be met, while the railway cannot pay owing to
the delay in the construction of the Trunk line. The
Colony has to meet very heavy sanitary charges, has always
to put its hand in ite pocket to repair damages from
typhoons and is, for the greater part of the year on
an intermittent water supply as there are no funds availa-
ble to carry out the great Tytam Water Scheme.
7 I propose to draw attention to the matter in the House, if a favourable opportunity presents itself, but may I ask you to draw Mr. Harcourt's attention and also the attention of your successor to the foregoing facts, with a view to inducing them to give favourable consideration for the extension of assistance to the Colony under its
present circumstances.
3