CO129-033 - General Stavely - Lieut. Governor - 1850 [5-8] — Page 398

The substitution of an equitable assessment on the value of landed property

as a means

has been suggested inequalities of land rents ;

but

of curing

even.

the

admitting

that the serious legal difficulties in the way

of such a plaw might be.

overcomò)

by the

because it

total abolition of rents, I could not concur in recommending its adoption, simply would still operate unfairly, not only imposing the heaviest burden repon

in

those

who had expended most in advancing

interests

the

of the Colony, but

in

the

› discouraging improvement of property prospectively, while, moreover, a compulsory tax would : thus supersede one of voluntary origins.

From the few instances of appical made to the Committee, I am induced to believe that the majority of land holders

are not

to

dissatisfied

with the present system of tenure. No general a combined effort to change the system has

taker place either by public meetings

or

392

otherwise, since the

to local serating,

: question has been submitted

but the appeals have been

confined to individuals who have either been

unfortunate enough to make bad bargains,

comparatively,

or rest their claims upon

technicalities which do not

affect

the

general principle of the quection at issue. Commissariat, Hongkong,

26th April, 1850.

Frue

(Signed) Ins. W. Smith.

4.6.2.

lonial Secretary