Municipality embarks on a new field of taxation not lotted to it in the first instance. I should find it difficult to agree that without the assent of the Legislature the Municipality could not increase the rates of existing taxation within its allotted field as this would be in conflict with the fundamental principal of genuine financial responsibility.
including its
revenue as the scope of the of the Municipality Council's functions increase, and that there- after the Municipality will control rate of taxation within those sources.
relations with the Central Government so as to ensure that the external control which is exercised over the Colony's finances whilst it is in rec- eipt of financial assistance from H.M.G. will be extended as
necessary to the Municipality.
PART 'B' Points not already raised with the Governor.
Points
1. Reference in paragraph 2 of the despatch to the recommendations not representing the unanimous wishes of the community or even the strongly expressed desire of any large section of it.
2. The reference in paragraph 8 of the despatch to discussions with Chinese representative bodies.
3.
The reference in the last two sentences to the indifference shown by the public.
4. The last three sentences of paragraph 15 of the despatch, discussing the question of the proportion of seats to be held by the Chinese.
Remarks
? suggest to the Governor that this reference should be deleted from the despatch before it is published.
? say that the Governor will no doubt consider whether the retention of this reference in the despatch of the names of the bodies concerned, when it is published, is likely to embarrass those bodies or affect their ability or willingness to co-operate in the future.
? suggest to the Governor that these two sentences should be deleted before the despatch is published.
? suggest to the Governor that these sentences should also be deleted from the despatch before it is published (there is no need to draw attention to and emphasise the controversy about this question).
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