CO129-286 - Acting Governor Major Gen Black Governor Sir Blake & Public Offices - 1898 [11-12] — Page 32

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4. Examining the question as to who in the Co-

lony would derive benefit from the proposed change I have no

hesitation in saying that were the deficit in Revenue made up

by increased taxation, which it appears from the Estimates

would be necessary, it would mean taxing the Chinese and In-

dian population for the benefit of the European Firms.

not true

7W?

26.

*

5. Leaving out the Straits Settlements the bulk

of Chinese and Indian correspondence is sent to Australia, Ne-

therlands Indies, Japan, Canada, the United States of America,

as refa,and India, none of which come under the scheme, whereas on the four other hand (leaving out China which is common to all ) European

india

firms probably send a great portion of their correspondence Jodi

to England.

6. The benefit to be derived would therefore

be almost exclusively confined to Europeans who form them-

selves into three classes, viz.-

(1) Those at least comparatively well-to-do.

BC= 1

(2) Soldiers and Sailors, &

(3) Poor Europeans.

The first is perfectly well able and willing

to pay the present rates and the second have the privilege of

sending letters at 2 cents or d, already.

7. The last class (beachcomber) is not one to

encourage in the matter of writing home as I should say near-

ly all their correspondence would consist in trying to obtain

money