§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can say whether the Government has received all the information necessary to enable them to come to a decision with regard to the matters agreed at the recent Conference at Ottawa between delegates from the West Indian Colonies and representatives of the Dominion of Canada, with a view to the establishment of closer trading relations; what consents are necessary to make them effectve; and when they are likely to be obtained?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Harcourt)The agreement arrived at by the Ottawa Conference will probably be laid before the Legislatures of the West Indian Colonies concerned in July next, and, until it has been considered by those Legislatures, His Majesty's Government will not be called upon to come to any decision with regard to it. In the meantime it will not be published, and I am, therefore, unable to give a more precise answer to the hon. Member's question.