§ MR. LEHMANNI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state whether, and, if so, by what amount in each year, the expenditure of the Colony of Natal exceeded the revenue during the past three years; and whether any additional sources of revenue are open to the Government of Natal.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe expenditure of Natal exceeded the revenue for the year 1904–5 by £644,738, for the year 1905–6 by £4,619, and for the year 1906–7 by about £210,000. Various proposals for additional taxation have been introduced into the Natal Parliament during the last two sessions, but none of them have become law.
§ MR. LEHMANNIs it in contemplation in the Colony of Natal to issue, a new loan, and will that necessarily be a trustee stock?
§ MR. CHURCHILLI have no knowledge of the intentions of the Natal Government on the subject.
§ MR. MACKARNESS (Berkshire, Newbury)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Natal Parliament was prorogued last year without any provision having been made to meet the deficit in the Colonial revenue; whether the taxes proposed by the Ministry to meet that deficit failed to pass the Colonial Assembly; whether, in consequence, Mr. Brunner, the Treasurer, resigned his office; and whether any other Treasurer has yet been appointed to take his place.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe facts are, I understand, as stated in the Question. On Mr. Brunner's resignation Mr. Hitchens, the Minister for Railways and Harbours, was appointed to hold in addition the office of Treasurer.