MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, is he aware that on the 18th February last a Bill was introduced into the Legislative Council of the Crown Colony of Jamaica by the Colonial Secretary of that colony, empowering the guarantee out of the general revenues and assets of the colony, and the payment by the island treasurer of the interest on the capital employed in establishing central sugar factories; has he considered whether such guarantee and payment of interest will constitute the grant of a direct or indirect bounty on the manufacture or exportation of sugar such as His Majesty's Government have undertaken by Article I. and Protocol A of the Sugar Convention shall not be established in the United Kingdom or any of the Crown colonies; and will the question be submitted to the Permanent Commission at Brussels.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe Bill referred to, which amends a previous law, has not yet been received from the Governor, nor am I aware whether it has been passed into law. In these circumstances perhaps the hon. Member would postpone his Question for about a fortnight.