Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Ceylon Company of Pearl Fishers has applied for a remission of any part of the rent due by them under the lease granted to them by the Ceylon Government of Ceylon Pearl Fisheries; and, if so, on what grounds; and whether he is aware that Sir Thomas Southwell, the Deputy-Director of Fisheries under the Bengal Government, who was formerly scientific adviser to the company, has declared that the barrenness of the pearl banks was due to the devastations of the company itself?
Mr. HARCOURTIn 1910 the company asked that payment of part of the rent might be deferred, and that they might be released of some of their obligations under the lease. The request, which was refused, was based on the inability of the company to bear the expenses owing to the fact 1540 that no fishery has been possible for some years. I have no information as to Sir Southwell's present views. From reports which he made in 1910 it appeared that he ascribed the barrenness of the pearl banks not to the devastations of the company, but to those of predatory fish.