MR. CATHCART WASONI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been called to the recent meeting between the Commissioner of His Majesty's Government, the Egba chiefs, and people at Abeokuta; will he say if the independence of the people there is secured by treaty; and if he is aware that the people view with extreme suspicion proposals to supervise the chiefs or suggestions to interfere with their privilege of levying tolls.
§ MR. CHURCHILLYes, Sir. The independence of the Egba country is recognised, subject to certain conditions, by a Treaty made in 1893, but subsequent agreements, both judicial and commercial, have also been entered into. Under the latter, dating from 1903, the native authorities agreed not to add to 185 their list of dutiable goods, or to increase the duties, without the sanction of the Secretary of State. It will be seen, therefore, that the rights of the native authorities in this respect are already limited by the agreements into which they have voluntarily entered.
MR. CATHCART WASONMay I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he is not aware that there are constant efforts being made by merchants and others to induce natives to do away with the tolls? It is a matter of extreme importance.
§ MR. CHURCHILLYes, I know there are efforts being made to do away with the tolls; and, of course, it would be a good thing if the tolls could be done away with, but they would not be done away with without some other arrangement equally beneficial to the native chiefs being arrived at.