45
10.
vote.
- 7 -
again Government is now considering the supply
of firewood to Government departments from the
public forests without charge to individual
departments, expenses being met from a general
Unless this were done the Colony would
actually pay Military Contribution twice over,
first on the revenue necessary to pay the expenses
of collecting the timber and secondly on the
credits received from the consuming departments.
(e) Leases of Crown lands are issued on payment
of
(1) an annual Crown rent, and
(2) a cash premium.
It is very largely a matter of choice how much
of the value of the land is taken in rent and
how much in premium; but because Military
Contribution is payable on the rent but not on
the premium the Colony is tempted to charge low
rents and high premia, which is not always sound
finance.
Enough has, I think, been said to show the vices
of the present basis of assessment of the Contribution
and I turn now to the consideration of possible alternatives,
including certain suggestions which have been put forward
by my advisers in the course of recent discussions. There
are-
(i.e.,
(a) Sir Frederick Lugard's proposal that the
contribution should be equal to the excess
of revenue over ordinary expenditure
excluding Public Works Extraordinary).
(b) Sir Cecil Clementi's proposal to take a
7