§ MR. GREGSONsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for India, if Her Majesty's Government have arranged 217 with the Viceroy of India to transfer the control of the Government of Singapore and the Straits from Bengal to the Colonial Office; and, if so, when it is proposed to complete the transfer?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, in answer to the question of his hon. Friend, he had to state that he himself had always been of opinion that it would be desirable to transfer the Government of Singapore and the Straits to the Colonial Office. The noble Lord who had preceded him in the office wrote a despatch to the Governor General of India, asking for his views on the question, and whether he saw any objection to such a course. In December last, he (Sir C. Wood) had received an answer to that despatch, in which the Governor General expressed the opinion that it would be desirable to make the transfer. On that he communicated with the noble Duke at the head of the Colonial Office, proposing to transfer the colony; but no answer had as yet been received from the Colonial Office. It was, therefore, impossible to say when the transfer would take place.