HC Deb 26 May 1909 vol 5 cc1166-7
Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALD

asked whether the 11 Colonies which made no Special Report on malaria, in response to the circular of 6th June, 1906, have since been communicated with, and have been asked to furnish Reports?

The UNDER-SECRETARY for the COLONIES (Colonel Seely)

Yes, Sir. A special circular has recently been sent out by the Secretary of State with a view to obtaining fuller information with regard to anti-malarial measures, both from the Colonies to which my hon. Friend refers and from other tropical Colonies.

Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALD

asked whether the Colonial Office has made any representation to the Government of St. Kitts-Nevis drawing their attention to the fact that, according to Cd. 3992, page 32, nothing has been done by them to destroy the breeding-places of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, although half the adult population are infected by them; and what has been the result of the representation'?

Colonel SEELY

The Secretary of State has made no further representation to the Government of St. Kitts-Nevis in this matter. He fears that effective action in this direction may be hampered by financial considerations, but the officer administering the Government will be asked for a report on the possibility of taking action.

Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALD

asked whether the Colonial Office has entered into correspondence with the Government of the Bahamas, in consequence of the opinion expressed by the Administrative and Executive Council of the Colony that rules, for the suppression of mosquito-born diseases, including malaria fever and yellow fever, were ultra tires; and with what result?

Colonel SEELY

The incident to which my hon. Friend refers took place in 1906, and there has been no recent correspondence on the subject. The Secretary of State will now call upon the Governor to furnish a Report as to the measures taken in the Bahamas to combat tropical diseases. It has to be remembered that legislation and expenditure in this Colony are dependent upon the consent of the House of Assembly, which is an elective body.