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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TIIUC.O. 882

halimuílıu

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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Engineering Supervision

2,400

Gaoler and Warders

290

l'ony Allowances

550

Transport and Personal Allowances

800

Purchase of Ponies for Orderlies

200

Office Contingencies, Stationery, Uniforms, &c.

1,450

Police Expenses, mainland

46

Payment to Wei-hai-wei City Magistrate

480

Island Expenses

10,000

$39,900

Works:--

Assistant Commissioner's Quarters, with Office, Compound Walls,

Well, &c.

11,200

Gaol

2,200

Purchase and alteration of one Chinese house

Slaughter-house

450 2,200

Quarters for Assistant Commissioner's Staff

Contingencies and repairs

Furniture for Quarters, Offices, Gaol, &c.

Roads:-

Const Road

Chefoo Road

Improving Mule Tracks

Extending Mahto Pier ...

1,000 1,000

18,050 2,550

20,600

24,600

8,000

4,000

09,600 4,000

Total Works

$61,200

Establishments

Works and Roads Lighting of Harbour Mail Service

$39,900

61,200

19,000

5,000

$125,100

A. R. F. DORWARD,

Major-General,

Wei-hai-wei,

November 18, 1901.

730

No. 66.

Commissioner.

COMMISSIONER SIR A. F. DORWARD to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(Received January 6, 1902.)

[Answered by No. 83.]

(No. 21.) Wei-hai-wei-Administration of Liu-Kung Island and construction of Native Town.

Wei-hai-wei, November 20, 1901. WITH reference to your despatch, Wei-hai-wei, No. 28, dated 26th September,* your secret despatch of the same date,† I have the honour to inform you that

† No. 53.

Sm,

And

• No. 52.

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the reduction in the estimates of Naval and Military requirements will reduce the estimate of the cost of the removal of the native town to the site near East Village by £2,000.

2. When I proposed that the Admiralty and War Office should be left to administer their own property, I meant that the expense of conservancy and lighting and repair of streets and roads over the area not occupied by the new civil town, and the removal of existing native houses on their property, after the establishment of the new native town should be borne from Admiralty and War Office funds, Military and Naval Police being appointed to look after these areas. It was intended that the Cantonment Magistrate should be entrusted with the collection of the Island Revenue, the charge of the Civil Police and of the new native town, and be given power to deal magisterially with breaches of the Island bye-laws and regulations. It was not con- templated that I should relinquish in any degree the civil and judicial control which I at present possess.

3. In your numbered despatch the words "full civil control" are used. It has to be remembered that practically the whole of the civil town is located on land and in houses which are Admiralty property, and over which large rights are naturally claimed by the Admiralty representatives. These houses are leased out by them to Chinese desirous of living on the Island, and a considerable revenue is collected by them from the rents. They select their own tenants, and many of those tenants are not required on the Island for Admiralty work, and, in my opinion, the old native houses in which they live should be removed for sanitary reasons, and because of their unsightliness. Many houses have not been removed because of want of Ad- miralty funds for their removal. The rents are, by Treasury Regulations, not avail- able for local expenditure, and I understand that there is great difficulty in getting funds from the Admiralty for the care and improvement of their property.

4. If the Admiralty and War Office would agree to hand over all the Island to the Civil Government, with the exception of such areas and houses as are required for their own servants, and for their own works, the rents for houses handed over could be treated as local revenue, and no annual grant towards Island Expenditure from Colonial funds would be required. The Administration would be simplified, and

Naval and Military Officers relieved of a certain amount of work. The Admiralty and War Office could resume their rights over any portion of the area handed over at any time they desired to do so. The present insanitary and unsightly buildings on Admiralty property would be removed and the whole property improved. The removal of the buildings would not throw any extra expenditure on Colonial funds, as the material got from them would be used in building the new town.

5. The term "Municipal Funds" was first used by Colonel Prendergast in the letter referred to in paragraph five of your numbered despatch. They are the total revenue collected on the Island, estimated at £240 per annum, and are principally expended on the conservancy, lighting and repair of streets of the native town. After the construction of the new native town it is estimated that the total Island Revenue will increase to about $720 a month, or £864 per annum. When the new town is built the revenue derived from rents of houses on Naval and Military property will be largely reduced, and it was not intended that the proposed contribution of 25 per cent. of these rents should then be made. My proposal had reference to the im- mediate present and up to the time of completion of the new town.

6. Building work cannot be carried on in the winter, so funds for the new town are not required in this year. A provision of $70,000 will be entered in the estimate for next year, now under preparation.

I have, &c.,

A. R. F. DORWARD,

Major-General,

Commissioner, Wei-hai-wei.

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