HC Deb 24 July 1876 vol 230 cc1811-2
MR. WAIT

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether any, and, if so, what steps have been taken for the maintenance of order and the restoring of general confidence in the Island of Barbadoes; and, whether Her Majesty's Government deem it expedient, by means either of a Commission or of an independent local inquiry, to ascertain the causes and origin of the recent riots?

MR. J. LOWTHER

Sir, among other steps which have been taken for effecting the purposes mentioned in the first part of the Question of my hon. Friend, I may mention that detachments of troops have been, and still are, quartered in the districts where it was thought there was any possibility of any renewal of the disturbances, but I am happy to say there has been no occasion for their use. As to the second part of the Question of my hon. Friend, I must remind him that a Motion on the subject, in the name of the hon. Member for Dundee, stands on the Paper for Friday next, and it would, therefore, be inconvenient if I were now to anticipate the statement which it will then be my duty to make to the House.