C
12078 Ceylon
In the reply to this Letter the following Number should be quoted.
TREASURY CHAMBERS.
60
8358
12
sir,
10 June 19128
| 17932
LC2
0910 JUN 19
I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury to transmit to you herewith to be laid
before Mr. Secretary Harcourt a copy of a letter from the
General Officer Commanding the Troops South China to the
War Office written as a result of enquiries made by this
Department in connection with a claim received from the
Treasury Chest Officer at Hong Kong for repayment of
advances made by him in respect of rates charged on property hired by the Imperial Government.
}
As regards the opinion attributed to the Attorney
General in Major General Anderson's letter that the houses
in question are rateable I am to say that under Ordinance
No. 8 of 1901, by which (as amended by Ordinance No. 28 of
1902) My Lords understand that the question is governed, Government premises whether Imperial or Colonial are not
rateable; and as Mr. Harcourt is already aware from the
letter from this Department of the 13th April 1911 (6011/11)
My Lords have never accepted any general liability on behalf of the taxpayers of the United Kingdom for contributions
towards Local rates in the Colonies.
Apart, however, from these considerations it will
be seen from General Anderson's letter that no rates are in fact charged on premises hired by the Colonial Government and My Lords do not understand on what grounds property
hired
The Under Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.