§ CAPTAIN SINCLAIR (Forfar)On behalf of the honourable Member for East Aberdeenshire I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury which, if any, of the Colonies, protectorates, or protected States to which the Colonial Loans Bill applies has had practical difficulty in recent years in obtaining loans on reasonable terms under the present system; 1167 and what loans have been raised by these Colonies or States, and on what terms, during the last 30 years?
§ MR. HANBURYIt is not possible, within the limits of the answer to a Question, to enter into the conditions under which particular Crown Colonies have borrowed during recent years, but it may be stated, generally, that they have suffered material disadvantage from the system of individual issues of comparatively small amount, which are distinctly less marketable than any form of combined stock. The information asked for in the second part of the Question could be given in the form of a Return, but it will take some time to prepare.