§ MR. SERJEANT SIMONasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether information has been received at the Colonial Office of a Return by the Collector General to the Governor of Jamaica, showing that, under the new franchise in that island, the number of voters will be only 9,400, with a probable reduction through the disqualification of many, instead of 15,000, as anticipated; and. whether he can explain the discrepancy, and which is the correct number?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYYes; we have just received from Jamaica a Return drawn up by the Collector General, at the request of the Governor, in which he reports 9,400 as his estimate of the number of the new voters. I cannot without further information explain the discrepancy between this and the estimate made by the Franchise Commission. I am afraid that the Collector 1682 General is more likely to be correct than the Commission.