CO129-293 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [8-9] — Page 593

Your Excellency.

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Submitted. The Jubilee Committee was appointed in 1897 by Sir Wm. Robinson. It passed a resolution No.3 to be found in COD114/97 attached. Having passed that resolution, it professes to be unable to go behind that resolution on the ground that it was on the strength of that resolution that the public subscribed money. The reasons per contra against the construction of the part round Mount Davis are briefly.

(1) the defence of the Colony would probably be weakened.
(2) the money in hand would be swallowed up in making only a portion of the road which would thus lead to nowhere.
(3) the Colony is expending eastwards rather than westwards.
(4) a road from the city to Aberdeen already exists viz:- the Pokfulam Road which could be easily improved in its gradients and widened if necessary.
(5) the money in hand if expended in other parts would pay for the construction of many more miles of road.

Several courses appear to be open such as (a) to dissolve the Jubilee Committee and transfer the fund by Ordinance to other trustees.
(b) to urge the military aspect of the case, if His Excellency the General considers that the road round Mount Davis would injure the defence of the Colony.
(c)