(No. 6621/8106.) GENTLEMEN,
48
Enclosure in No. 25.
COLONIAL SECRETARY to the CROWN AGENTS.
August 22, 1901. I HAVE the honour to request that you will be so good as to procure from Messrs. King and Company or other Parliamentary book-sellers, copies of the Imperial Acts now regulating the assessment and collection of income tax, and of local rates, together with any instructions issued by the Inland Revenue Department, or the local Government Board, to Surveyors of Taxes and other officers, concerned in the assessing of incomes and property for imperial or local taxation. It will be useful also if you can procure any manual or treatise privately published dealing with the principles of assessment for these taxes. These documents are required by this Government, for reference in connection with the framing of Bills for placing the taxation of real property on a basis of assessed value, both in regard to houses and agricultural lands, and, also with a view to the preparation of a Bill to impose an income tax.
2. I shall be glad to receive these documents as soon as you can conveniently supply them.
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I have, &c.,
SYDNEY OLIVIER,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
No. 26.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
GOVERNOR SIR F. A. SWETTENHAM to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(No. 510.) SIR,
(Received December 23, 1901.)
Government House, Singapore, November 28, 1901. In reply to your circular despatch of 1st June, with reference to complaints of mistakes or neglect on the part of the Crown Agents in regard to the commercial business entrusted to them, I have the honour to inform you that, on the whole, I am well satisfied with the way in which the Crown Agents have done their work so far as this Colony is concerned.
2. Certain cases have, however, been brought to my notice where there has been great delay in complying with requisitions. Of such delay it will be sufficient if I instance one case, that of the steam dredger for the Singapore river. The order for this dredger was sent to the Crown Agents with outline specification on 25th August, 1898. A full specification was prepared by the Consulting Engineers on 6th February, .1899. The contract was placed (delivery in six months) on 21st March, 1899. The dredger was completed on 1st February, 1900, and arrived here on 19th April of the
same year.
The delay in this case caused great inconvenience, and gave rise to questions in the Legislative Council.
I am informed that a similar dredger was ordered by the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company on 25th October, 1900, and arrived here on 3rd May, 1901.
3. There have also been cases in which the Crown Agents have departed from instructions, and thereby caused inconvenience and expense. As an example of this I may cite the case of certain iron girders ordered for the extension of the Master Attendant's office, Singapore. This gave rise to a long correspondence with the Crown Agents, a copy of which is enclosed.
The action of the Crown Agents in this matter not only caused needless delay but large additional expense to the Colony.
4. I attach copy of a letter from the Colonial Treasurer and would call your attention to paragraph 4, where an example is given of the neglect of the Crown Agents as Agents of the Colony to take the initiative in securing economical expendi- ture on supplies ordered.
On 23rd February, 1900, the Colonial Treasurer drew attention to the heavy cost of currency notes and compared it with the prices paid by the banks.
In consequence of this a despatch, No. 67, of 1900,* was addressed to you on the subject.
• 10444 00; not printed
ނ
49
When in England the Treasurer went to Messrs. De la Rue, who subsequently reduced their price from 19s. 6d. to 15s, per 100 for outstanding portions of the old orders and to 10s. 3d, for future orders.
5. While I am satisfied that the Crown Agents obtain good value for the money expended on our behalf, there is a continual complaint of delay in the execution of orders. This is no doubt inconvenient to a greater or less extent, and might, think, be avoided if the Crown Agents would extend their patronage and place our orders with firms who are anxious to obtain business and meet modern requirements.
6. The feeling in this Colony (and I think in others) as regards dealings with the Crown Agents goes somewhat deeper than the question of the purchase of stores. It is felt that the Crown Agents occupy a position which is not exactly that of an Agent of the Colony, but rather of an independent authority prepared to execute the orders of the Colonial Government with considerable limitations. Thus the Colonial Govern- ment is compelled to purchase through the Crown Agents and the Crown Agents alone, but cannot, even if it desires, direct the Agents to purchase from any particular firm. Morcover, the Crown Agents exercise their own discretion in departing from the instructions sent to them, and, when the Colonial Government complains, the Agents appeal to the Colonial Office with almost invariable success. The consequence is that the Colonial Government feels that the word “Agent" is rather a misnomer, and that complaint is useless, because, however great the dissatisfaction, the Agents cannot be changed. That there is dissatisfaction seems to be proved by the fact that whenever a Crown Colony becomes a responsible Government, it ceases to take advantage of the services of the Crown Agents and appoints its own agent in London.
7. I do not know whether it is your wish that the Crown Agents should occupy, vis-a-vis the Colonies, the position I have described, but I feel sure that is the main cause of Colonial complaints. Nine times out of ten believe the Colonial Govern- ment would be quite content to leave the execution of its orders to the absolute discic- tion of the Crown Agents; but when a desire is expressed for any particular purchase, for the engagement of a particular officer or for the advice of a named specialist, you would, I feel sure, have no objection to allow the Colony to have its own way, even if it resulted in the purchase of some experience. Communities, like individuals, do not mind even an expensive experience if it is of their own seeking; but they resent any mistake, however little it costs, when made against their expressed wishes.
8. I am most anxious to acknowledge the obligations of this Government, and, more especially of the Federated Malay States to the Crown Agents, and I think the Crown Agents will admit that I am at least a friendly critic. I believe, however, that the relations between the Governments and their Agents would be more satisfactory if those who give the orders and pay the cost felt that they were more at liberty to exercise their own discretion in the expenditure of their money. I do not know why a Colony should be debarred from sending a direct order to a firm in England just as it sends one to a local firm, or one in India or Australia, but if you think the Crown Agents must continue to be the only channel of purchase, I would suggest that they should really act as Agents to the distant Government and not as a Government Department, with powers of revision and criticisnt, and the right to decide as to how an order is to be executed and the Colony's money expended."
I have, &c.,
Enclosure 1 in No. 26.
F. A. SWETTENHAM.
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE COLONY and the CROWN AGENTS. (A.)
COLONIAL SECRETARY to the CROWN AGENTS FOR THE COLONIES. TELEGRAM.
13th December, 1897. urgently required."
Referring to my letter of 21st July, requisition No. 69
(B.)
COLONIAL SECRETARY to the CROWN AGENTS FOR THE COLONIES. TELEGRAM.
11th February, 1898. "Have you sent 44 6-inch girders, requisition 69, 16th
July?"
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31
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||||
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TLC.O. 885
8
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TOPage 511
32
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 885
SIR,
50
(C.)
THE CROWN AGENTS FOR THE COLONIES to the COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Office of the Crown Agents for the Colonies,
Downing Street, London, S.W., February 18, 1898.
I HAVE the honour to inform you that on the 11th instant we received the follow- ing telegram from you:-
"Have
Translation.
you sent 44 6-inch girders, requisition 69, 16th July?"
and yesterday we replied:-
Translation.
"Referring to your telegram of 11th February, girders thought not required.
Shall we order?"
and to-day we received your telegram:-
"Girders not required."
Translation.
1
I should add that on going through the details with the contractors our Inspecting Engineer, Mr. Wakefield, was unable to discover how these particular girders were to be utilized, and, after conferring with us, he instructed the contractors to omit them. We regret that the matter which was settled by word of mouth was not reported to you at the time, as it should have been.
SIR,
(No. 161/98.)
I have, &c.,
M. A. CAMERON.
THE COLONIAL ENGINEER to the COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Office of the Colonial Engineer and Surveyor-General,
Straits Settlements, Singapore, February 18, 1898. IN reference to your letter enclosing a telegram from the Crown Agents, I have the honour to report the great inconvenience caused to the progress of the work by the manner in which this indent was dealt with.
2. The requisition was sent to the Crown Agents on the 21st July, 1897. They were informed that the articles were required for use in that year and although the required articles could have been easily procured, up to the present date the order has not been completed.
3. In November last it became necessary to purchase locally the large verandah girders at an enhanced cóst, as it was not possible to go on with the building without them.
4. The building progressed until the string course on which the roof rests was reached. The roof was designed to be carried on girders, but as they had not arrived work was stopped and the Crown Agents telegraphed to to ascertain cause of delay.
5. The Crown Agents replied that the girders were being sent, and later an invoice was received with a list, but as the girders mentioned above were not included they were telegraphed to again and a reply received that they thought the girders were not required, and asking if they are now to be sent.
6. Great inconvenience has been caused by this mistake. The girders have beer procured locally, and I trust it will, for the future, be definitely understood that it is not left to the judgment of the Crown Agents to hold back any portion of an indent.
I have, &c.,
¡ A. MURRAY,
Civil Engineer,
Colonial Engineer and Surveyor-General,
(D.)
Straits Settlements.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY to the CROWN AGENTS FOR THE COLONIES.
(P.W.D. 1291/98.)
GENTLEMEN,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Singapore, February 22, 1898.
I AM directed by the Governor to forward, for your information, copy of a report from the Colonial Engineer regarding certain girders required for the Master
51
Attendant's office, which were included in the requisition forwarded to you under cover of my letter, No. 5186-97, of the 21st July last.
2. His Excellency will be glad to have from you some explanation of the delay and of the neglect to send the 4 by 6 inch girders, which has caused very great inconvenience and extra expense.
I have, &c.,
C. W. S. KYNNERSLEY,
(E.)
Acting Colonial Secretary,
Straits Settlements.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY to the CROWN AGENTS FOR THE COLONIES. (P.W.D. 1290/98.) GENTLEMEN,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Singapore, March 1, 1898.
I AM directed by the Governor to inform you that the Colonial Engineer has drawn attention to the large excess above the local estimate in your account with Messrs. Macfarlane and Company for the ironworks, &c., for the Master Attendant's office, Singapore (Indent 69 of 16th July, 1897).
2.
I am to enquire what is the cause of the excess as no details are given as
to the prices of the items which in the indent were taken from Messrs. Macfarlane's
printed catalogue. It is requested that details may be furnished.
3. I am also to invite your attention to the high charge of £11 2s. 1d. for pro- fessional fees for inspection of this ironwork and to the fee of £2 2s. for examining girders of the value of £19 6s., which seems abnormally high.
(No. 535.)
SIR,
I have, &c.,
C. W. S. KYNNERSLEY,
F
Acting Colonial Secretary,
Straits Settlements.
(F.)
THE CROWN AGENTS to the COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Towning Street, London, March 31, 1898. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, No. P.W.D. 1291/98, of the 22nd February, covering a report respecting ironwork for the Master Attendant's office.
2. As regards the time occupied in executing the order, so much difficulty was experienced, owing to inadequate information sent us with the indent, in making out exactly what was required, that we were not in a position to order the main part of the work until the 23rd September. The contractors could not then supply earlier than they did.
3. As to the omission of the girders, our letter of the 18th February will have already shown you that this was not due to neglect but that our Inspecting Engineer, who appears to have been misled by an erroneous statement on the indent, deliberately decided that they were not required. I attach a report from Mr. Wakefield, which may help to explain his action. Unfortunately, after discussing the point with a member of our staff, he omitted to report in writing his proposal to omit the girders, and hence the matter, which was not within our personal knowledge, was not reported to the Colony. For this omission we have already expressed our regret.
4. While on the subject I must point out the importance of sending full informa- tion in indents. In this case a small scale drawing was sent to us without a single figured dimension on it, with the result that after much discussion and correspondence, Messrs. MacFarlane wrote that they could not guarantee the correctness of the work, with which we should not have attempted to proceed had it not been stated to be urgently required. It may usually be desirable to leave details of ironwork to be designed here, but to enable this to be properly done it is essential that drawings be
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