CO129-526-13 Military contribution- basis of assessment 17-6-1930 - 26-7-1930 — Page 5

DRAFL

HONG

TONG

CONFIDENTIAL

GOVERNOR

RIYED FOR

USE

COLONIAL OFFICE

Revised Draft embodying all

Amendments agreed to by the War

4

Office, Colonial Office & Treasury.

Anso on.

5

SS

Such. 1977 Su Gurundh 18

losy Freas (6)

Copy

N°1

52802/28

62416/29

Sir,

824549/31

Downing Street,

26 July 1930.

SwGal

t

With further reference to your

confidential despatch of the 31st July last

regarding the military contribution

payable by the Government of Hong Kong,

I have the honour to inform you that,

after consultation with the Lords

Commissioners of the Treasury and the

Army Council, I regret that I am unable to

The

agree to your proposal that an entirely

new basis of assessment, viz. a

percentage of the annual rateable

valuation of the Colony should be adopted

in place of the present basis of a

percentage (20%) of annual revenue.

2. I am, however, considering

whether in view of the reserved claims

mentioned in Mr. Southron's Confidential

(1) despatch of the 28th July, 1928, and

Su Gul Clementi's

the proposals in your despatch No.400 of

the 10th September, 1929, any modifications

may be desirable and possible in the

existing system in order to bring it up

to date. In any readjustment it will be

necessary to be guided by the principles

set out in the following" paragraph which

have been agreed to govern the assessment

of the military contribution not only of

Hong/