CO129-112 - Acting Governor Mercer - 1866 [3-4] — Page 191

the guard originally intended.

the

In the first place; if maintenance of a Guard at

14.

the Mint be an

object

so very

important represented on the 12

as Mr Mercer

and if

the

on the 12th January

same necessity for

it obviously exists now

}

ay

then

}

it can be effected by discontinuing the Guard at Government Stoure, the Colonial

Treasury and other places which

are

mrc

secure

as

being

nearer

to Stead Quarters, and where

it is less a necessity to

Guard than at

maintain a

189

the Mint. Secondly. I do not

regard

as

a

contingency

sufficiently probable to affect the question - the possibility, that whilst at so much inconvenience this Colony pays nearly $100,000 per annum. for Military protection Her Majesty's Government will hesitate to provide that protection in almost the only instance where a Military can be regarded

Force there

as essential

for a strictly Colonial object apart from

those

general

Imperial interests which must always require the presence of