HC Deb 04 April 1892 vol 3 cc576-7
MR. CAUSTON (Southwark, W.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, with reference to his statement as to the difficulty of securing influential ratepayers to serve on the Board of Sanitary Commission of Gibraltar, whether he will state what answers and reasons have been given by the gentlemen who have been asked and who have refused to serve on the Board under the Sanitary Order Amendment Order, 1891; and whether he will give the names of those who have been invited and have refused to serve?

* THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Baron H. DE WORMS, Liverpool,) East Toxteth

I think the House will agree with me that it would not be desirable in a case like this to state the reasons which weighed with these various gentlemen, at all events until their consent has been obtained; but if the hon. Gentleman will be good enough to communicate with me I shall be happy to give him confidentially a statement of the reasons.

MR. SUMMERS (Huddersfield)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state the names and occupations of the gentlemen who have been nominated by the Governor of Gibraltar as representatives of the ratepayers on the Sanitary Commission of the Colony?

* BARON H. DE WORMS

The names of the gentlemen who have been nominated are Mr. Arthur Rugeroni and Mr. W. J. Sallust Smith, chosen from the list of Grand Jurors, Mr. Augustus Du Moulin from the list of Special Jurors, and Mr. Adolphe Van Andlau from the list of Common Jurors. Messrs. Rugeroni and Du Moulin have resigned their seats on the Board. Mr. Van Andlau is the accountant of the Anglo-Egyptian Bank. The Secretary of State does not know what are the occupations of the other gentlemen.

MR. SUMMERS

Are there two vacancies still unfilled?

* BARON H. DE WORMS

Yes, they are; two gentlemen having resigned.

MR. CAUSTON

I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not a fact that the nominations made by the Governor of Gibraltar of representatives of the ratepayers on the Sanitary Commission of the colony have been most unsatisfactory to the whole population?

* BARON H. DE WORMS

No, Sir; I am not aware.