CO129-319 - Governor Sir Blake - 1903 [10-11] — Page 459

Conclosu Betober, 1903.

455

such increase had recently been allowed. I authorised the

Colonial Secretary to state that if the Unofficial Members

would furnish the Goverment with facts or figures to justif

a further increase I would forward their recommendation to

you with a request for its favourable consideration.

3.

I now enclose a copy of a letter from Mr.

Gershom Stewart on this subject, and have the honour to recom-

mend that in consideration of the facts stated in the letters

forwarded by him and in view of the unanimous wish of his

colleagues on the Legislative Council, the total Ecclesiastical

vote be increased to $3,800 per annum with effect from the

1st. January next, the several grants to be distributed as

follows:-

Grant for Roman Catholic Chaplain. Grant for 2 Protestant Chaplains. Grant for Burials &c..

.$1,200 2,400

200

$3,800

17356

02

This will represent a sum of $1,400 in excess of the amount

provided in the Estimates.

4.

As the Protestant grant was increased by

$200 so recently as the beginning of this year (in which connec-

tion I have to refer you to Mr. Chamberlain's Despatch No. 127

of the 7th. May, 1902,) I have considered it sufficient to

make that grant only twice as much as it was before the in-

crease of $200 was approved. I would also suggest that the

vote for Burials be reduced from $400 to $200 and that the

increased grants be made on the understanding that no fees

will in future be given to Clergymen of any of the denomina-

tions to which grants are allowed; such grants being inclusive

of burial fees. I may explain that in 1901 I directed that

these