§ LORD EDMUND TALBOT (Sussex, Chichester)I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the recent ceremony of the laying of the first stone of a free library at Georgetown, British Guiana, and to the fact that this ceremony took place with full Masonic rites, thereby preventing the attendance of the Roman Catholics and causing them great offence; whether he is aware that the majority of the population are Roman Catholic and largely Portuguese, and that a breach of the peace, owing to the ill-feeling aroused, was only prevented by the moderation and control of the Catholic authorities; whether he is aware that many influential members of the Masonic body and of the non-Catholic portion of the community abstained from attending the ceremony as a mark of sympathy with their Catholic fellow colonists; and whether, under these circumstances, the Secretary of State will convey to the Governor an expression of regret that precautions were not taken to consider the feelings of the Roman Catholic population, and request that, in his capacity as president of the library committee, he will endeavour to see that in the future management of the library fair consideration shall be given to their position as tax and ratepayers.
§ COLONEL SEELYThe attention of the Secretary of State has been drawn to the ceremony in question, and he has received a protest from the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Colony; but it is not strictly correct to say that the attendance of Roman Catholics was prevented, since the Mayor of Georgetown, himself a Roman Catholic, was on the library committee, and other Roman Catholics attended the function. Nor is it the case that the majority of the population are Roman Catholics; it must be remembered that the Europeans form only a small proportion of the inhabitants. The Governor had no reason to anticipate a breach of the peace on the occasion of the ceremony, and none in fact occurred; and the protest of the Roman Catholics was received too late 766 to admit of a change in the arrangements. The Secretary of State is convinced that there was no intention on the part of the Governor to give offence to any religious body, and he sees no reason for conveying any such censure or instruction to the Governor, who only acted provisionally as chairman of the committee at their request pending the opening of the library. As soon as the building is ready for use its management will be entrusted to a committee representing the general taxpayers and the municipality of Georgetown.