CO129-484 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1924 [1-7] — Page 157

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especially if the result would be further delay in the

settlement.

5.

At the same time I feel it to be my duty to inform you that the action of the War Office in exacting the uttermost farthing in respect of lands, the return of which is vital to the interests of the Colony and the greater part of which was originally acquired at a negligible price or for nothing, has excited an amount of ill-feeling which in such an apathetic community, as this normally is, is really remarkable. It is not pleasant to hear the methods of the Army Council compared with those of Chinese militarists with a slight leaning in favour of the latter.

r. This feeling is likely to persist and to cause constant friction in the future whenever the Military Authorities want to obtain anything from the Colony and

I venture to urge the desirability in the general interests

of the Empire of inducing the War Office to make some concessions which will soothe the present soreness.

It is certain that the cost of reprovisioning will fall far short of the full figures of Sir Johm Oakley's sward and, as I observed in Council, it would appear that a great part of the total sum will remain merely as a debit in the Military Lends Account which will not be worked off

for many years if ever. The War Office therefore would not really lose anything tangible by making a considerable reduction in the figures and by doing so they would establish a reputation for fair and reasonable dealing, which it would be idle to pretend that they now possess in Hongkong.

6.

I suggest that the Army Council should recognize that a large part of the land cannot be sold by

this Goverment es it will have to be devoted to roads and

that they should declare their willingness to assist in this

respect

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