§ MR. WEDGWOODI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies with reference to the 1907 Report on the Straits Settlements, whether the increase in the charges on account of public debt from $24,000 to $194,000, shown under the head of expenditure, was due to the nationalising of the docks; and, if so, why revenue from these docks does not appear on the revenue side of the account.
§ COLONEL SEELYNo, Sir. The loan was raised for certain public works in addition to the acquisition of the docks, and the charge to which my hon. friend refers is in respect of that portion of the loan allocated to the former purpose. The revenues of the Dock Board provide the interest for such part of the loan as was devoted to the acquisition of the docks.
§ MR. WEDGWOODHas the money been spent on remunerative works, and will future accounts show the revenue therefrom?
§ COLONEL SEELYThe question of what should be charged to capital or to revenue account is too wide a subject to discuss by way of Question and Answer across the floor of the House.