CO129-287 - Public Offices & Others - 1898 — Page 514

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for these Barrack services in any one year (in accord-

ance with the Secretary of State's instructions as to

spreading the expenditure over 10 years).

This repre-

sents 1333,536/30 or 44618 annually. If the sum

were to be reckoned in pounds sterling of the original

estimate we should obtain a much larger amount in

dollars on conversion at the present low exchange. But

inasmuch as the original estimates were made in alterna-

tive columns of pounds and dollars, and all the finance

of the Colony is reckoned in and hinges upon the dollar,

the Colonial Government is certain to claim that the

amount be reckoned in current dollars and not in pounds

sterling.

2.

Accordingly I find that in the printed

Colonial estimates for 1898, the sum of $40,000 is in-

serted under heading of "Contributions towards Barrack

Services".

3. If any effort be made by the W.D. for the

increase of this amount for next year and supported by

the Secretary of State for the Colonies, it is certain

to give rise to a strong opposition in the Legislative

Council (wherein a vote for a similar question con-

nected with the Military contributions of last year was

only passed by aid of my vote as the Military Member)

and