CO129-301 - Governor Sir Blake - 1900 [9-12] — Page 33

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4.

of the cost of the building

Oring to the large estimate

the matter remained in abey-

ance until recently, when the District Watchmen's Com-

mittee undertook to erect a less pretentious Watch house

on the site at an estimated cost of between $7,000 and $8000 resering one room for the use of the European police.

In view however of the purposes

5.

for which the building is to be used, I do not consider

it desirable that Government should relinguish the con-

trol which a share in the cost "ill give it, and I there-

fore have to recommend that a grant of $1000 be made in

aid of the building.

6. I have also to recommend the

free grant of a site in the resumed area of Taiping-shan

as shown on the enclosed tracing, containing 5,640 square

feet for the purposes of the Watch house.

7. Annual reports of the Captain

Superintendent of Police bear testimony to the usefulness

of the District Watchmen's Porce, and I may mention that

owing to the increase in its numbers and the advance in rents, the contributions to it which are voluntarily made by Chinese residents no longer cover the expenditure.

Formerly a Government grant of $2000 a year was made to the District Watchmen's Fund, but it was withdrawn from the 1st. January 1894 as the revenue from ordinary contri

:butions at that time exceeded the expenditure.

The force at prosent consists of 6 head District Watch-

Chinese All the shops in Victor-

men

and 66 District Watchmen,

la contribute 1% on their ennual rental to the fund to maintain the Watchmen who only do duty in Victoria..

8. The expenditure on the propos-

ed building will exhaust the balance which the District Watchmen's Committee have in hand, end in these circum--

stances