CO129-287 - Public Offices & Others - 1898 — Page 511

C

<

501

3.

The General Officer Commanding as will be

seen points out the inconvenience and expense attendant

upon this arrangement.

He explains that the contem-

plated term of 10 years is longer than is really neces-

sary, and that if the works could be completed entirely

by the War Department a great saving both of time and

money might be effected. Moreover, it is obviously un-

desirable to delay work under the Military Works Loan,

from which the Imperial portion of the expenditure is

to be met, for so long a period.

4. The Secretary of State has therefore been led

to consider whether it might not be possible to fall in

with the General Officer Commanding's suggestion, i.e.

to take over the execution of the works from the Colony

and to charge the Colonial proportion of the expenditure as incurred, in a suspense account

which account would

be credited year by year with the Annual sum voted by the Colony, until such time as the account was cleared.

5.

It is, no doubt, uncertain whether the Colonia 1 Office and Colony would fall in with such a proposal,

but before approaching them, or proceeding to elaborate the details, the Secretary of State would be glad to know whether it commends itself to their Lordships, and to

be