CO129-348 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [7-10] — Page 310

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Council at its last Meeting that a small but important

section of the shipping community are opposed to the

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temporary raising of the Light Dues, and even go so far as

to question the need for the shelter the necessity of

which they in cormon with the rest of the community have

hitherto strongly urged upon the Government. To meet their

views I reduced the proposed increase from 14 cents to 1

cent, and the Resolution was carried with only two dis-

-sentients one of whom though voting against it as Member

for the Chamber of Commerce who had asked for postponement

of the Resolution, had declared himself personally in its

favour as moderate and reasonable. The arguments in the

matter are dealt with in the observations with which I

introduced the Resolution (copy of Hansard enclosed). The

practical unanimity of the Legislative Council goes to show

that the opposition of a small part of the shipping

interest does not represent the view of the corvmunity and

even were the majority of the Europeans opposed to the

expenditure on this shelter, it would in my opinion he

necessary to undertake it on behalf of the Chinese section

of the population who are unanimously in favour of it. Its

object is in fact chiefly to protect Chinese life and

onclosure 2.

property