CO129-305 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [5-7] — Page 77

COPY. No. 88/G.

Sir,'

ENCLOSURE 5.

C.0

74

: 10845

10 JUN OF

Governsent House,

Hongkong, 34th. September, 1900.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's letter of the 13tb. instant, and to inform you that I consider your action,in referring to the Land Court in order to determine the owners of land at Devil's Peak to whom payments should be paid in connection with the defences to be erected there, as prudent.

2.

With regard to paragraphs 3 and 4 of your letter, I have to inform Your Excellency that as advised by the Attorney-General, I do not read paragraph 11 of the Secretary of State's Circular of the 30th. December, 1894, as an instruction to the Governor to expend any sum from the General Revenue in the purchase of lands from private owners for Military purposes, beyond the amount that under the arrangement there proposed may be shown in the Treasury Books as a debit against the Colonial Government. Such a financial responsibility would place the Revenues of this Colony at the disposal of the Military Authorities and would in- volve an undetermined increase of the 174 per cent, on gross Revenue payable to the Imperial Government for Military purposes.

I have etc., (Sd.) H.. A.. Blake,

Governor, 10..

Bis Excellency

The General Officer Commanding.