398
the Colony;
it
and secondly, how, if injurious, may be advantageously altered, and still yield to Government the same or nearly the same amount of revenue as at present.
The questions whether the revenue derived from land bears a pernicious proportion to the whole revenue of the Colony, (the wealth of the community consisting not of land and houses but of movable stock), and whether the whole revenue be disproportionate to the means of the contributors and to the necessary expense of an efficient government, though not unworthy of consideration, do not appear to fall well within the limits chalked out for your inquiry.
I shall therefore restrict my remarks in conformity with this view of the case.
The end and object to be steadily kept in view during your deliberations is, it is conceived, the welfare and prosperity of the Colony; to this standard all things be applied, and the welfare and prosperity of the Colony must undoubtedly consist in the individual welfare and prosperity of its inhabitants.
Hongkong is a collection of hills, in the valleys between which may be occasionally found a few patches of arable land. Sensibly under certain circumstances much more than these few patches might be brought under cultivation, and even yield a rent, but for all practical purposes the island may be considered barren.
The Colony must therefore be exclusively commercial. Its wealth and prosperity must consist, not in its natural productions and the labor applied to them, but in the productive capital and labor of honest, industrious and frugal inhabitants, applied to commercial purposes.
If it rise into importance at all, it must importance at all
3.
398
the Colony;
it
and beondly, how, if injurious, may be advantageously altered, and still- yield to Government the same ev nearly
the same amount
hef!
"revenue as at
the
as at presents
questions
whether the
revenue derived
to
from land bear a pornicious proportion the whole revenco of the Colony), (the wealth of the community consisting not land and houses but of morcable stock),
only of
and whether the whole revence be disproportionates to the means of the contributors and to the necessary caponse of an officient : government, though mock worthy of Consideration, do not appear to fall well within the limits chalked out for your
Ishall thereford restrict my inquiry. remarks in conformity with this new of
the case.
kept
The end and
in view
during your
object to be steadily
deliberations is,
it is conceived, the welfare and prosperity
of the Colony ; to this standard mush alb
things be applied, and the welfare and prosperity of the Colony must undoubtedly
consist in the individual we
elfare
prosperity of its inhabitants. Hongkong
and
is a collection of hills, in the valleys betweon which may be occasionally found a few patches of arable land. Sessibly
under certain circumstances
much more than these few patches might
t under cultivation, and evew
be brought
yield a rent, but for all practical purposes the island may
be considered barren. The
Colony much therefore be exclusively commercial . Its wealth and prosperity
I productions
must consist, not in it's natural.
and the labor
applied
to them, but in the
productivo capital and labor of honeet,
industrious and
frugal inhabitants,
al purposes. If it
applied to commercial pe
rise into
at all, it must
importance at all
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