439
@
in the subjoined Miunte :-
The Governor recommends the Council to vote the following sum:--
A sum not exceeding Sixty-three thousand dollars ($63,000) in payment of the contribution due from Hongkong to lessen the loss sustained by the Imperial Treasury on the Eastern Mail Service from the 1st of February, 1883, to the 31st of December, 1884, at the rate of £6,000 per annum.
From the papers on this subject which have already been presented, the Council is aware that, since 1879, this question has been un ler the consideration of Her Majesty's Government. Successive Secretaries of State have done their utmost to obtain the assent of the Imperial Treasury to a reduction of the sum originally put forward as this Colony's share of the loss, and the present Secretary of State has now communicated the final decision of the Imperial Government.
In Lord DERRY's words, "The Lords of the Treasury have finally consented to an arrangement by which the Government of Hongkong shall contribute at the proposed rate of £6,000 from the 1st of February 1883 only, the claim for the arrears of this increased payment for the period anterior to that date being waived.”
The Council has already assented to the principle of contributing towards the loss to the Imperial Government by the Eastern Mail Service, and, when passing the Estimates for 1884, voted the sum of $22,000 for that year, and $55,000 as arrears for 1880, 1881, and 1882, being at the rate of £4,000 per annum only. This was done in accordance with a resolution of the Finance Committee passed at its meeting on the 21st June, 1883.
Considering that the original claim was for £13,771 per annum, and that Lords KIMBERLEY and DERBY have successively done all in their power to obtain the most favourable terms possible for the Colony, and have caused the contribution originally required, to be reduced by more than one half, the Governor believes that the Council will recognize the efforts that have been made in England on behalf of this Colony, and will accede to the arrangement now proposed by Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies.
This Minute was, in the
customary
manner, referred for the Consideration of the Finance Committee,
which unanimously reported as
follows : -
"The Committee recommend
"that
مجھ
that a tote not exceeding Sixty. three
" thousand dollars ($63.000) be
"
"approved ; but express a hope
"that the sum
sum contributed
ontributed by
" this Colony will be considered
" open to revision on the expiration
"of
the present Postal Contract.
The Report of the Fincence tof
Committee was yesterday (12th June)
adopted by the Legislative Council unanimously, and without any
on the part of any Member, either Official or thnofficial When the Vote had passed,
objection
rose
l
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.