f
52
1888, which states, "that in the opinion of Lord Knutsford, the arrangements made between the Imperial and Indian Governments in 1866, and the agreement with the Colony in 1871, related to settlements which then had little, if any importance beyond that derived from local trade. The wonderful change which followed the opening of
It
the Suez Canal was not foreseen, and apparently not realized in 1871. appears to his Lordship, that in placing a meaning upon the above-mentioned arrange- ment, regard must be had to circumstances as they existed at the time; and that an agreement relating to the defence of a local port of trade cannot possibly be read as a promise to provide for a coaling station which subsequent and unforeseen events, independent of the local trade, bave called into existence for supplying the wants of the Empire."
Yet, in spite of this clear expression of opinion by the Colonial Office, Lord Ripon, in his despatch to the Governor, of 6th November, 1894, reaffirmus the principle that the old agreement of 1866 covers the present claims!
13. In his despatch of 13th Decembar, 1889 (Blue Book C 6290), to the Governor of the Straits Settlements, Lord Knutsford defends the charge of 100,000 per annum, on the ground that it will only amount to 17 per cent, of the revenue, or about 3s, 9d. por head of the population of the Colony; and his Lordship contrasts this with the taxation in the Mother Country, which he states at 8s. 9d. per head of the population, and if the naval charges be added, the payment reaches 15s. 94. per head. But this comparison is entirely misleading, unless there be also taken into account the respective means of the two populations. An English workman may fairly be credited with earning 621, per annum, while the bulk of the population of the Straits Settlements does not earn over 127. per annum, so that even on the above footing, the relative charge on the colonist of the Straits Settlements is greater than that on our own people in the Mother Country.
14. It is submitted that the Colony has a right to expect that it shall not be subjected to exceptional treatment in comparison with other Crown Colonies, and that the present system under which the claims of the Imperial Government are levied on the simple principle of taking from the Colony all surplus revenue, beyond that which a "Retrenchment Committee" has forced down to the barest necessities, shall be abandoned. It is maintained that it is absolutely necessary for its welfare that the contribution to be paid for military services shall be moderate and reasonable; that it shall be a fixed charge, and not as in the present case a charge settled for a quin- quennial period when one year has expired and a second year has been entered upon, it being impossible to secure any stability in the public finances or to project and carry forward any important works under such a dilatory and hand-to-mouth system of finance.
15. It is contended on behalf of the Colony that the most satisfactory arrangement would be the payment of a fixed percentage of the revenue in full for all military charges, land, barracks, &c., but in no case to exceed their total cost. And it is believed that the Colony would be willing to pay the percentage which Lord Knutsford, in his despatch to the Governor of 13th December, 1889, put forward as not being "excessive," viz., 17 per cent.
16. It is further contended, and this is not the least haportant part of its case, that the Colonial Office, being the Trustee for the Colony, has no right to take, for the purposes of the Imperial Government, the revenues of the Colony against the protests of its non-official representatives in Council. The Charter of the Colony gives to the Legislative Council "full power and authority for the raising and expenditure of the public revenue," and it is contended that in this connection the rights of the Colony have been invaded. It follows that if at any time additional taxation is considered necessary, such taxation should not be imposed by orders from Downing Street, but only with the assent of the representatives of the Colony in the Legislative Council,
17. The Colony having done its utmost by representations in the Legislative Council, by petition, by deputations and remonstrances to the Colonial Office, without having received any permanent relief, appeals again to the Commons House of Parliament for redress and justice.
1, WHITTINGTON AVENUE, LONDON, E.C.,
24th February, 1895.
WM. ADAMSON,
Chairman, Straits Settlements Association.
',
APPENDIX No. 8.
STATEMENT showing the amounts received as Military Contribution from the Eastern Colonies for the years 1890 to 1894, and what would have been
Colony.
received had the proposed percentage system been in operation.
Actual Military Contribution.
Amount which would have been paid had the percentage system now proposed boen in operation.
Year.
Not revenue.*
In ourrency.
In sterling.
Average
percentage of
In currency.
In sterling at average Proposed percentage rate of exchange.
of revenue.
FEVERUH.
X
Average
sterling value
of the dollar
and rupee.
09.21
NTCON
LO DO OS DO DS 1
02-4T
63
7'60
49 1
1 21
530
00--9
24
오늘
Total for the 5 years 38,619,113
+ The amounts shown are those given in the Blue Books. They do not agree in every year with the sterling contribution, not having always been paid when due, ie, the arrears of one year appearing in the Colonial These are the amounts that were demanded, but, owing to remissions on secount of the hurricane in 1892, to the refusal of the Colony to pay the full amount demanded, and to the fact that what was paid was at a The Colony was allowed to pay part of this contribution at the commercial rate of exchange, the result being a loss of 3,7421 to Army Vote. * That is revenue lees land sales. The revenues for 1994 are estimated. fictitious rate of exchange, only the amounts shown in italics were paid. accounts of later years.
*8.18{{}{{
1890
4,060,706
1891
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS..
ZORT
3,738,083
3,631,1-12
Dollars.
235,976
1,038,160
Dollars.
100,000
710,623
112,515
100,000
654,164
109,708
1893
1894
3,670,565
3,71-1,420
189'7/
BIT OSS
100,000
635,450
95.317
729,118
100,000
80,000
19:01
642,349
650,023
86,315
70,418
Total for the 5 years 18,814,916
3,578,056
$80,000
3,292,600
474,273
Dollars.
Dollars.
Dollars
#
1890
1,295.220
121,898
10,000
349,163
55,283
TANT
1,073,541
881,316
COO OF
345,369
67,920
Huna Kowe
14
"
1893
1894
1892
2,115,105
267,192
40,000
370,142
55.621
2,015,161
207,874
OQU'O
14.18
352,654
47,389
2,051,829
371,646
40,000
369,039
38,890
Total for the 5 years 10,150,853
1,439,016
200,000
1,778,397
255,011
Rupees.
Rupes
1890
16,017,524
1891
17,708,924
661,884
1,074,244
1000'09
Rupees. 1,204,314
85,093
81,750
1,327,794
098'ZOT
** KOTAKO
1892
18,071,899
1,149,642
81,750
1,856,392
94,594
1833
17,751,893
1,290,463
81,750
18.9
1,331,392
81,825
FART
18,637,644
1,304,558
81,750
1,397,823
82,267
Total for the 5 years 88,182,884
5,564,791
977,000
6,613,715
446,129
1890
Z681
T68T
Rupees. 7,771,412
7,576,767
£
Rupees.
301,762
324,824
347,451
358,209
25,000§
25,000€
388,570
27,525
378,838
29,202
19,729
25,000$
7,472,098
$78,605
26,174
MAURITIUS
150,757
6986
:
1809
8,097,980
488,135
30,000$
5+13
404,803
24,884
259,699
14,701
3:34
509,734
30,000§
1894
7,700,856
385,043
22,661
232,500
13,805
1,982,164 1,292,199
135,000§
82,624
1,930,955
130,344
?
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.