CO129-488 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1925 [1-7] — Page 177

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sentences of great numbers of minor criminals.

I may add

that the construction of the new Prison vill make it

possible to devote to other purposes the site at Laichikok

and some part, at least, of that of Victoria Gaol, the

latter of which is of very great value owing to its central

position.

8.

On the receipt of your telegram I requested

the Director of Public Works to indicate what new works

might be postponed without detriment to the public

convenience. He informed me in reply that the items, marked

with a red cross in the enclosed copy of the departmental

estimates, had not been begun and could therefore be

postponed but that it could not be said that any works

included in the Estimates could be postponed without

detriment to public convenience. In this view I concur.

I requested him, however, to defer the commencement of any

of the works so indicated until I had had the opportunity

of addressing you on the subject. As a result no work will

be done on them for the first four months of the year and

to that extent there has been a reduction of the estimated

expenditure. I trust, however, that after weighing the

considerations which I have ventured to put forward you

will feel yourself able to agree to the carrying out of the original programme in its entirety. More especially I am anxious not to postpone the provision of quarters for clerks (Item 77) and scavenging coolies (Item 25). You are aware what great difficulties have been caused by the shortage of housing accommodation and I feel that the best way in which the Government can assist in removing them is by providing quarters for as many as possible of its own servants. The matter is especially important as I foresee that we cannot continue much longer the drastic policy of Rent restriction which was inaugurated in 1921 and the removal of restrictions will certainly result in increases

of