§ MR. MITCHELL-THOMSON (Lanark, N.W.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the lack of facilities for mail communication between Great Britain and the northern islands of the West Indies; and whether, 969 seeing that at present mail opportunities only occur for these islands once a month, he will lay papers relating to the negotiations which resulted in the abandonment of the previous mail contract.
§ * MR. CHURCHILLIt is not strictly correct to say that mail opportunities for the northern islands of the West Indies occur only once a month at present, but His Majesty's Government have the question of the West Indian mail arrangements now under their consideration. The circumstances which led to the decision not to continue a West Indian mail contract are fully explained in the despatch to the Governors of the West Indian Colonies which was laid before Parliament in May last.