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Enclosure in No. 73.
Governor of Hong Kong to Colonial Office.
Government House, Hong Kong,
My Lord Marquis,
29th November, 1892. With reference to the 3rd paragraph of Lord Knutsford's despatch, No. 240, of the 8th October, 1891, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that this Government elects to pay the Military Contribution for the year 1893 at the Treasury rate of exchange.
WILLIAM ROBINSON.
Sir,
No. 76.
Colonial Office to War Office.
Downing Street,
20th April, 1894. I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, for the consideration of Mr. Secretary Campbell-Bannerman, with refer-
40248 ence to the letter* from your department of the 2nd February, 1893 (†
377 copies of the enclosed despatches from the Governor of Hong Kong, on the subject of the Military Contribution of that Colony, which have also been communicated to the Treasury.
No. 74.
R. H. MEADE.
Enclosure No. 1 in No. 76.
40248
377
Sir,
War Office to Colonial Office.
War Office,
2nd February, 1893. With reference to your letter* of the 18th February last, conveying Lord Knutsford's concurrence that the present Military Contribution paid by Hong Kong, should remain in force until the end of 1894, I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to enclose copy of a lettert from the Treasury, dated 16th July, 1892, limiting the arrangement to the present calendar year.
Sir,
No. 75.
Colonial Office to War Office.
RALPH THOMPSON.
Downing Street,
3rd January, 1894.
I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to
you, for the information of Mr Secretary Campbell-Bannerman, with reference to the letter from this department of the 3rd of January, 1893, a copy of a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong on the subject of the rate of payment of the Military Contribution during 1894.
My Lord Marquis,
The Governor of Hong Kong to Colonial Office.
Government House,
Hong Kong, 24th April, 1993. With reference to your Lordship's despatch No. 13, of the 3rd of February last, and telegram of the 14th instant, I have the honour to transmit, for your Lordship's informa- tion, the enclosed copy of a telegram which I despatched on the 19th instant.
I regret that there has been so much delay in supplying the return of revenue, but it has arisen from the confusion caused by the defalcations recently discovered in the Treasury, of which full particulars will be found in a despatch which I hope to send your Lordship by this mail.
An exact statement of the expenditure for last year will be sent as soon as it has been received from the Treasury. It is delayed by the cause which I have just mentioned.
1 desire to take this opportunity of suggesting to your Lordship that an endeavour should be made to induce the War Office authorities to consent to a reduction of the amount of the annual Military Contribution of 40,0001. (sterling) payable by this Colony, in view of the enormous fall in exchange and the increased expenditure in dollars entailed thereby on the Colony, and in view also of the fact that the revenue for the current year has been estimated at only a little over 1,900,000 dollars, an estimate which is not likely to be largely, though it may be slightly exceeded.
The revenue for 1892 was unusally large, owing to deferred payments by the opium farmer on account of the previous year having been credited to it, to unusually considerable arrears of taxes having been recovered by Mr. May while he was acting as treasurer, to a windfall of 20,000 dollars received from the military authorities for the Lazaretto, to a large land sale which produced 67,000 dollars towards the close of the year, and to other exceptional circumstances.
WILLIAM ROBINSON.
Enclosure in No. 75.
R. H. MEADE,
(Telegram.)
Sub-Enclosure in Enclosure No. 1 in No. 76.
Chapelries, London,
19th April, 1893. Total revenue 2,237,000 dollars, but about 2,100,000 dollars deducting exceptional windfalls.
Total approximate expenditure 2,365,000, doubtful.
ROBINSON.
The Governor, Hong Kong, to Colonial Office.
Government House, Hong Kong,
28th November, 1893.
My Lord Marquis,
With reference to the 3rd paragraph of Lord Knutsford's despatch, No. 240, of the 8th October, 1891, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that this Government elects to pay the Military Contribution for the year 1894 at the Treasury rate of exchange.
WILLIAM ROBINSON,
Enclosure No. 2 in No 76.
EXTRACT from a despatch from Sir W. Robinson to the Marquis of Ripon, No. 245, dated 23rd December, 1893.
5. In the Finance Committee it was strongly urged by the unofficial members that an endeavour should be made to obtain the fixing of the Military Contribution payable by the Colony at a stated number of dollars. A reference to the figures quoted in my opening
* No. 74.
• No. 63.
† No. 72,
‡ No. 78.
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