§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether any, and what, steps have been taken to comply with the request of the inhabitants of Cape Coast for municipal institutions and a Board of Health; whether the Letter and Draft Scheme submitted by them to Colonel White, at his request, in July last, have been brought to the notice of the Colonial Office; and, if so, what, if any, instructions have been sent out to the Local Government regarding the same; and, whether he will consider the expediency of authorising trial by jury in civil causes, especially in land cases, in which, owing to the peculiar Native Law of descent and tenure, great injustice is frequently done?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Baron HENRY DE WORMS) (Liverpool, East Toxteth)In answer to the hon. Member, I have to state that the Letter and Draft Scheme referred to were duly sent home by Colonel White; but that the scheme was not one which could be sanctioned by Her Majesty's Government. In accordance with the instructions of the Secretary of State a Draft Ordinance for the establishment of Municipalities was prepared at the Gold Coast and sent home, and, with certain slight amendments, has been approved. The Governor has been directed to introduce it formally into the Legislative Council, and then to publish it for general information before its enactment. In answer to the third paragraph of the Question, I must observe that the objections to trial by jury in civil cases at the Gold Coast are very great, principally on account 1711 of the ignorance and illiterate character of the people from whom the juries must be drawn, and also the tribal feuds and jealousies which exist. The Governor will, however, be directed to obtain Reports on the subject from the Judicial and Legal Authorities of the Colony.