CO129-349 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [10-12] — Page 5

the increase in the land revenue of the New Territories

and the services in this connection of Messrs Clementi &

Halifax should be noted.

The estimate

Taveune

was $2 in 1902 $

4

You will see from p.133 of debates that the un-

officials and the Chamber of Commerce approve the proposal

to obtain an Appeal Court of Three Judges by utilizing the

services of the Chief Judge at Shanghai.

Turning to the Governor's account of the esti-

mates of expenditure, e have agreed to the junk painting pr posals (p.126) and to the increased grant to the Tung Wah Hospital (p.130). The remarks uponthe Military Contri- bution of the Governor (pp.128-9 & 141) and Mr Stewart (p.136-7) shew that the unofficials are inclined to mix up the Contribution and the opium questions, while Sir F. Lugard considers that they should be treated separately. On the merits of the case, the Governor is undoubtedly right, but I am not so sure that it will prove possible to deal with them separately in practice, We must however

anti-opfum guard against a temporary loss of revenue owing to see Mua measures being made theexcuse for a permanent reduc- tion of military contirbution below what Hong Kong can afford to pay.

Pp.129-130 of decates give an account of the progress of the Railway and pp.131-2 of the new Quarantine Station about which we heard in 23256/08.

Fitt

The termination by the Government of Nobel's

lease of One tree Island gunpowder depot was attacked by Mr Gresson (p.139) and defended by the Governor (p.143)

The debates really deal with all the important

points of the estimates. The minor changes, other than those due to low exchange, are fully explained in the notes to the estimates or in the Governor's despatch and there are few points to which I need draw attention.

Under Miscellaneous Services (p.41) there is still the item of $20,000 for "Other Miscellaneous Services

I would invite attention to my minute on this item on 40075/07 and would suggest that the Governor should be told to alter it in next year's estimates. The item $36,000 for the redemption of subsidiary coin is retained.

The Government subscription to Reuter's is aropped.

W. & S. Ltd.-16679-6000-10-07.

263077---

--1979-8000-4-08.

You

Under Medical Department, provision is made

the (page 57) for the new private nursing staff: European Assistant Bacteriologist is to be replaced by a Chinese Assistant (page 60)

A