CO129-283 - Acting Governor Major Gen Black - 1898 [5-6] — Page 449

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lose the rates chargeable on buildings to be erected on those

sites.

16. One of the objects of the Military Contribu-

tion is to provide money to help to buy sites that may be

wanted. If it be said that the present Military Contribution

does not support the Garrison and therefore leaves nothing

for purchase of lands, and this is advanced as an argument

why lands should be transferred free or at a nominal figure,

I reply that such an argument is not applicable. Because the

Imperial Government chooses for Imperial purposes to garrison

Hong-Kong, that affords no reason why the Colonists here should

pay disproportionately, or should be expected to do more than

the rest of the Empire towards keeping the garrison. Because

Colchester is a garrison town, one does not hear that the in-

habitants of Colchester are called on or expected to contri-

bute above the average. Hong-Kong, like Colchester, is garrison-

ed for Imperial purposes and cannot reasonably be called on to

contribute more than its fairly apportioned share.

far

17. Lastly, as showing that this Government,

from asking a heavy premium for the Kennedy Road site which

was offered at 15 cents a sq. foot, has undervalued the land I

may state that an application has just been received from the

Land Investment Company for the sale of the site to them at

30 cents a sq.foot.

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