Mr. POINTERasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he was in a position to confirm the statement made by the Under-Secretary, in answer to a Question on 15th June, 1910, to the effect that Sir George Ruthven le Hunte, Governor of Trinidad, was not a vice-president of the West India Committee; if so, can he state the date of his resignation of that office; and, if not, whether Sir George le Hunte still holds the office with the consent and approval of the Colonial Office?
Mr. HARCOURTI am in a position to confirm the statement that Sir George le Hunt is not a Vice-President of the West India Comittee, an office which, I understand, does not exist. My hon. Friend is no doubt confusing the West India Committee with the West India Club, a social body of which the Governors and ex-Governors of several West Indian Colonies are Vice-Presidents.
Mr. POINTERasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he was able to make any statement as to the likelihood of the restoration of municipal powers of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, in the near future; and whether he could see his 670 way clear to signalise his accession to his high office by restoring to Port-of-Spain the powers she once possessed, and which the late Governor of Trinidad, Sir Henry Moore-Jackson, promises should be restored some three or four years ago?
Mr. HARCOURTI have no record of a definite promise by the late Governor to re-establish an elected municipal Council in Port-of-Spain. On Lord Elgin's instructions, he gave an undertaking to re-submit to the Legislative Council, after a term of years, the question of the constitution of the municipality. That undertaking was carried out by the present Governor, who invited the unofficial members of the Legislative Council to move a resolution in the matter. In order to allow of unfettered discretion to the unofficial members, he announced that the officials would not vote on the question. So far as I am aware, no action has yet been taken by the unofficial members in the matter.
Mr. POINTERasked the Secretary of of State for the Colonies, whether it was with his knowledge and consent that, owing to the granting of prospecting licences for oil in Trinidad, large tracts of agricultural land are being closed and held from public use; and whether he would consider the possibility, without crippling the oil industry, of restricting the amount and size of such concessions of land and so preserve as much as possible as available agricultural land?
Mr. HARCOURTThe Government of Trinidad is in general sympathy with the policy indicated in the last part of the question, and will carry it out as far as possible without hampering the development of the oil industry and of the mineral resources of the Colony.