531
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stone at the point at which the road was to begin by my predecessor at which ceremony General Black was present.
7. However, a short time after the arrival of Major-General Gascoigne, I submitted the papers to him with a minute dated 12th January 1899, and on the 17th January I received his answer in which he agreed with Major-General Black that a road round Mount Davis near sea level would be highly undesirable in a military sense.
8. As there is a considerable difference of opinion in the Colony as to the advisability of this road apart from the military aspect I allowed the matter to rest in the hope that the trustees might see their way out of the difficulty by calling a meeting of the subscribers, but in the beginning of August I was informed that the Committee were preparing a statement to be submitted to you, which statement I received a few days after the receipt of your despatch.
Encl. 1 in
As the opinions of Major-General Gascoigne and of the Director of Public Works were mentioned I sent copies of the letter of the Committee to them for their observations. You will observe that Major-General Gascoigne's views are materially modified, and his last minute does not convey to me that there would be any serious military objection to the road.
9.
Personally, as I have stated in my minute, apart from military consideration, I see no reason why the road should not be first made in accordance with the resolution, especially
531
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(@) 30 CT 09)
stone at the point at which the road was to begin by my pre-
decessor at which ceremony General Black was present.
7. However, a short time after the arrival of
Major-General Gascoigne, I submitted the papers to him with a
minute dated 12th.January 1899, and on the 17th. January I re-
ceived his answer in which he agreed with Major-General Black
that a road round Mount Davis near sea level would be highly
undesirable in a military sense.
8. As there is a considerable difference of
opinion in the Colony as to the advisability of this road
apart from the military aspect I allowed the matter to rest
in the hope that the trustees might see their way out of the
3
difficulty by calling a meeting of the subscribers, but in the
beginning of August I was informed that the Committee were
preparing a statement to be submitted to you, which statement
received a few days after the receipt of your despatch.
Encl. 1-)1
As the opinions of Major-General Gascoigne and of the Director
of Public Works were mentioned I sent copies of the letter of
the Committee to them for their observations. You will ob-
serve that Major-General Gascoigne's views are materially mo-
dified, and his last minute does not convey to me that there
would be any serious military objection to the road.
9.
Personally, as I have stated in my minute,
apart from military consideration, I see no reason why the
road should not be first made in accordance with the resolution,
especially
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