CO129-489 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Sir Clementi - 1925 [8-12] — Page 292

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regarded as vain, It is possible --I do not think it is likely -- that some of them would be willing to make a contribution if all the others would do so but I can state unhesitatingly that at least one of the most important of such corporations would decline to do so and the others would naturally follow suit. The suggestion can, of course, be put to them if you wish, but I am sure that it will have no result,

4. May I venture to make a suggestion? In the discussion on the Budget for 1925 (see pages 101-2 of the Hongkong Hansard for 1924) Hr. Holyoak,

speaking on behalf of the Unofficial Members of the

Legislative Council, said:

"It is our conviction that considering the

"condition of China at present, Hongkong is

riously under-garrisoned and that a far larger "force should be kept here for emergency purposes More and elsewhere; suitably and tactfully

"approached, we imagine that the British sections

"of thunicipal Councils in Concessions throughout *Chine would be willing to consider a rate levy,

*in contribution to this Government for the

*right to call for protection in emergency," It did not appear to me to be worth while to pursue

this suggestion at the time as there could be no

doubt that the Municipal Councils of the Concessiona

would not be disposed to contribute towards the relief

of the burdens of the longkong tax-payer, but the line

of thought seems worth following up.

--

It is now admitted and recent evore

have illustrated the fact --that the garrison of Hong-

kong is mintained not only for the defence of

Hongkong