§ MR. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered the desirability of encouraging 1519 the formation of friendly society banks and industrial and provident supply associations in Barbados and other British West Indian islands; whether the fee of one guinea for registration, imposed in the various Colonial Acts, has been found a deterrent in the poorer districts of these islands; and whether he will make further representations to the several legislatures.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.My attention has been called to the desirability of encouraging the formation of such societies in the West Indies, and in June last I addressed a despatch to the Governors of the several colonies calling their attention to the high fees charged in some of them in connection with the registration of these associations. In some cases the fees have since been reduced; in others it is stated that the existing fees are not deterrent.