40. Mr. POINTERasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been called to the financial condition of the St. Augustine estate, the property of the Trinidad Government, and whether, in view of the unsatisfactory management and the amount of arrears, as shown in the Department books, he will direct that a public inquiry shall be held, so as to ascertain the amount of loss and to fix responsibility; and whether he will direct that the majority of the Committee shall be men who possess the confidence of the public and are independent of the Government?
Mr. HARCOURTMy hon. Friend has sent me a newspaper cutting from which it would appear that an overseer has been interdicted. If this is correct, the matter may come before me in a quasi-judicial capacity, and it is obviously undesirable that I should make any statement on the subject at present.