MR. PRICEasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether 1040 it is true that any of the Government officials at Sierra Leone have been informed that, in consequence of the financial condition of the Colony, their salaries cannot be paid in full for the present, but that such sums as may be possible will be paid them on account, until the finances of the Colony improve?
§ MR. J. LOWTHER,in reply, said, he was not aware that the financial position of Sierra Leone was as sad as the hon. Member represented it to be, though there certainly was a deficit in the colonial revenue. That deficit arose mainly from a decrease in the amount of Customs duties, and this was one of the grievances which it had been proposed to remedy by the cession of territory to France. The latter scheme having been abandoned, it would now be the duty of the Government to look into the matter, with a view of relieving the colony from its financial difficulties.