§ MR. ANDERSONasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether, through changes initiated by the late Governor, Lord Napier, in the powers and prerogatives of the Municipal Commissioners of Gibraltar, the civilian representatives have all resigned, and that the changes are so obnoxious to the civil population that the new Governor, Sir John Adye, cannot induce any gentleman of similar status in the Colony to accept the office; and, whether those changes will be now reconsidered, or if the Colony is to be deprived of representative Government?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYIn consequence of numerous complaints as to the working of the late Sanitary Commission, changes were made in the law regulating its procedure. These changes were recommended by the late Governor, Lord Napier. It is true that on account of these changes the unofficial Commis 297 sioners have, with one exception, tendered their resignation. It is, however, intended to give the new scheme a fair trial; and, as no change whatever has been made in the mode of nominating the unofficial Members, the answer to the last part of the Question is simply that Gibraltar cannot have, and never has had, a representative Government.
§ MR. ANDERSONasked, whether Gibraltar had not formerly had a small shred of representative Government which they had not now? Was it not a fact that the three unofficial Members were elected by the Grand Jury, and that the Government only selected the names from a list submitted by the Grand Jury?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYThat remains entirely unaffected by the new arrangements.