§ MR. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSENasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether Her Majesty's Government intend, without further inquiry or consideration, to put into operation the Ordinance by which Gibraltar will be deprived of her position and privileges as a free port; whether that Ordinance has been framed for the protection of any British interest, or for the protection of the Spanish Customs' revenue; whether, before framing the said Ordinance, Her Majesty's Government has called the attention of the Spanish Government to the inducement to smuggling afforded by their fiscal system, and the alleged connivance thereat by Spanish officials; whether it has been represented to the Government that the proposed Ordinance will throw 2,000 men out of employ, and seriously damage the British colony of Gibraltar; and, whether, under all the circumstances, Her Majesty's Government will not suspend the operation of the said Ordinance until full inquiry shall have been made by an independent Commission as to the effect likely to be produced thereby upon the port and trade of Gibraltar?
§ MR. J. LOWTHERI hope the right hon. Gentleman will not think that I am taking a liberty if I point out to him the extreme inconvenience that arises 1740 from raising important issues of this kind in the form of a Question, especially when Notice has been given by the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Rylands) in his place of his intention to call the attention of the House to the whole subject, when an opportunity will, no doubt, arise that will enable me to explain in detail these somewhat complicated questions. The right hon. Gentleman must excuse my answering them categorically. I must, however, point out that he assumes as facts many things which are not facts at all; and from certain other facts my right hon. Friend has drawn, as I venture to think I shall be able to show, an entirely wrong conclusion. I cannot, however, allow it to go forth even for a day that this matter has been hastily decided on by Her Majesty's Government. The matter has for seven years past been under the anxious consideration of the Colonial Department. During a moiety of that time I have had some share in the consideration of it, and during the other moiety my right hon. Friend must accept responsibility. I must also say that with regard to the proposed Ordinance throwing a large number of persons out of employment and seriously damaging the Colony, our information does not allow us to admit the fact. The only effect of this Ordinance is to put down avowed smuggling. [Mr. RYLANDS: No, no!]
§ MR. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSENsaid, that he would to-morrow ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, considering the great importance of the subject, and the feeling in the Colony, he would afford that discussion of the subject which the Under Secretary desired, and not leave it the casual and improbable chance of discussing it in Supply.
§ MR. J. LOWTHERThe Ordinance has been on the Table of the House for upwards of a month.