Mr. POINTERasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, acting on the instructions of His Majesty's Government, a law was passed by the Trinidad Government forbidding the granting of oil licences for the working of oil in that island to any one not a British subject; whether his attention has been drawn to the composition of the New Trinidad Lake Asphalt Company, which, while registered as British, is in reality an American venture, and to the fact that out of a total of 50,000 £10 shares 49,880 were held by American financiers on 30th June, 1910; whether the late Attorney - General of Trinidad, Mr. E. Agostini, is now in the employment of Mr. John M. Mack, of Philadelphia, who is one of the shareholders of the New Trinidad Lake Asphalt Company; will he say whether Mr. Agostini has approached the Colonial Office in regard to oil concessions, and, if so, with what result; and whether careful inquiry has been made, or will be made, as to these allegations?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Harcourt)No law of the kind described in the first part of my hon. Friend's question has been passed in Trinidad, but the Land Regulations provide for the British character of the grantee of a licence to search for oil in the Crown lands to which they apply. I dare-say my lion. Friend's information with regard to the composition of the New Trinidad Lake Asphalt Company is correct, but. I am not in a position to make any official statement on the subject. Mr. E. Agostini resigned his appointment as Attorney-General of Trinidad to resume private practice and take up the position of legal adviser in Trinidad to this company and the companies connected with it. Mr. Agostini has not approached the Colonial Office in regard to oil concessions. I do not think that further inquiry would add any useful knowledge.