MR. CATHCART WASONI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been called to the treaty of friendship and commerce made at Abeokuta between His Majesty's Government and the Alake on the 18th January, 1893, and also to the letters of 1651 he 29th June and 29th July, 1903, between the Alake and Sir W. M'Gregor on the question of tolls; and whether, in view of the fact that the Alake and his people consider the maintenance of the said tolls as essential to their independence, the Government will view with displeasure any attempts to abolish them.
§ COLONEL SEELYMy attention has been called to the treaty and letters referred to. His Majesty's Government would be glad, in the interests of trade, to see the tolls abolished, but they could not be abolished except by the substitution of some other arrangement which would provide the funds required for the government of the town and district, and would be acceptable to the native chiefs.