Mr. POINTERasked the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether he was aware that when the Legislative Council of Trinidad recently decided to ask permission to import Indian coolie immigrants to the number of 3,200, every unofficial member who voted in favour of such introduction was an interested party; whether he had seen a full report of the debate in question; and whether, in view of the increasing emigration and unemployment of the native population, he would promise to review the whole question carefully before any further permission was granted for the introduction of immigrants?
§ Colonel SEELYI have seen a newspaper report of the debate to which my hon. Friend refers, and I do not find in it anything to alter the view that the number of immigrants settled for the coming season does not exceed what is required in the interests of the Colony as a whole. The whole question of coolie immigration 862 has been most carefully investigated by a Departmental Committee, as my hon. Friend is aware, and their report will offer an opportunity for careful review of the policy.
Mr. POINTERasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he could give any information with regard to the railway extensions in Trinidad; whether a satisfactory survey of the Tabaquite Rio-Clara line had now been made, carrying out the original project as approved of; if so, whether the work is to be at once begun; whether he had any official information showing that the delays and difficulties in the case of the Siparia line were due to the endeavour on the part of the general manager of railways to favour certain large landowners to the south-east of Siparia village by running as far east as possible, and that all difficulties would disappear if the' original project of a railway from San Fernando to Siparia were carried out; and whether he would explain why the offers of Messrs. Tennant and others of a free passage were not taken advantage of and a line run almost due south from San Fernando to a terminus on the actual southern edge of Siparia village?
§ Colonel SEELYSurveys of the routes of the proposed extensions of the Trinidad Government Railway have been made, but the routes selected cannot be regarded as definitely and finally settled until the surveys have been considered by the consulting engineers whom it is in contemplation to appoint. The surveys already made indicate that the route proposed for the Tabaquite Rio-Clara extension in 1898, to which my hon. Friend no doubt refers as the original project, would be difficult, if not impracticable, for railway construction. The Secretary of State has no official or other information which would justify the statement that delay has taken place owing to an endeavour to favour certain landowners. As regards the last sentence in the question, it is obvious that the selection of a route for a railway must depend both on engineering considerations and on the nature and extent of the traffic to be expected.
Mr. POINTERasked whether he had received any complaints that the non-official members of the Legislative Council of Trinadad had failed to discuss the municipal question and that they had neglected the general interests of the Colony, concerning themselves only with 863 the questions appertaining to their own private interests; and, if so, whether he would consider the advisability of abolishing, by legislation or otherwise, the existing legislative, and substituting therefor a wholly elective, council, in which all classes shall have the right of representation?
§ Colonel SEELYI do not think that there is any evidence showing that widespread discontent exists with regard to the existing Legislative Council, or that there is any foundation for the charges implied in the question. The Secretary of State is confident that the Governor will not fail to bring before the Council any questions which it may be in the general interest of the Colony for them to discuss.
§ Mr. REESasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether since the prosperity of the British Colony of Trinidad chiefly depended upon the sugar industry, and since the sugar industry chiefly depended upon indentured British-Indian labour, the Secretary of State would inquire if any steps could be taken to further promote the comfort and convenience of British-Indians, who emigrate to Trinidad for the benefit of that island and to the relief of unemployment in overcrowded portions of British India?
§ Colonel SEELYThe Under-Secretary of State understands that the Departmental Committee on Emigration from India has received a considerable body of evidence bearing on the condition of Indian immigrants in Trinidad and other West Indian Colonies, and he anticipates that the Committee's report will deal with any points in regard to which the improvement of the lot of the immigrants is possible. If on the receipt of the Committee's report further inquiry in the direction indicated by my hon. Friend should appear to be desirable, the Secretary of State will be happy to take into consideration any suggestions which may be made to him with that object.
§ Mr. REESWill the Commission consider how far the public body in Trinidad, which inspires these questions, is really representative of the people in Trinidad?
§ Colonel SEELYI have dealt with that.