§ 56. Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why special palm oil ordinances are required in Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast Colony to enable the grant of monopolies to Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited, while similar legislation is not necessary to the grant of similar privileges to that firm in Southern Nigeria?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Harcourt)The statement in the letter from the Colonial Office to Messrs. Lever Brothers of 10th December, 1912, printed in the published correspondence, is that it is not proposed to introduce legislation in Southern Nigeria unless it is shown to be absolutely necessary, which is not at present the case. I may explain that the late Governor was of opinion that any necessary arrangements could be made by means of local agreements with the native chiefs of the districts concerned; and, if this should prove to be the case, it will obviate the necessity for legislative action.
§ Earl WINTERTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware there is a great difference in the laws relating to the granting of monopolies in different Crown Colonies, and will he try to get a common policy for each Crown Colony?
§ Mr. HARCOURTI think it is very desirable to attain gradual uniformity in the regulations.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSDoes the right hon. Gentleman afford any protection to the native chiefs in connection with the agreements they enter into?
§ Mr. HARCOURTThe agreements made with the chiefs have to be validated by the Courts of the Colonies.
§ 57. Mr. TOUCHEasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he complied with the request of Mr. James Jamieson Thorburn, Governor of the Gold Coast Colony, for copies of laws of a similar nature to the proposed Palm Oil Ordinance for the Gold Coast to enable preferential treatment to be granted to Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited, described by the Governor as, in effect, enabling the Government to grant a monopoly; or if no similar ordinance existed in British Colonies prior to 19121?
§ Mr. HARCOURTThe hon. Member will see from the correspondence published in Cd. 6561 that the Governor asked either 1180 for copies of similar laws in other Colonies or for a draft of the proposed ordinance. I sent him a draft prepared by the Colonial Office.
§ Mr. TOUCHEWill the right hon. Gentleman kindly answer the latter part of the question, whether there is any similar ordinance in any British Colony, or whether any similar ordinance has existed in any British Colony prior to last year?
§ Mr. HARCOURTNo, there could not be, as similar circumstances did not exist anywhere.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODWould it not have been a good thing if there had been similar ordinances in British Crown Colonies, rather than selling the land to speculators?
§ Earl WINTERTONIs it not the fact that this is the largest monopoly ever granted to any one person in the Crown Colonies?
§ Mr. HARCOURTNo. I think if the Noble Lord will refer to my right hon. predecessor who sits on the Front Bench opposite, he will find that is not so.
§ 58. Mr. TOUCHEasked the right hon. Gentleman why, having informed Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited, on 24th February, 1911, that, as the facilities they desired were so unusual in character and would affect so large a proportion of the palm-bearing area, he was unable to meet their wishes in respect of a larger area in Southern Nigeria than one of five miles radius, he subsequently intimated on 19th February, 1912, that he would offer no objection to an extension of the area within which the rights were granted from one of five to one of ten miles in radius?
§ Mr. HARCOURTAs will be seen from the correspondence laid before Parliament, Messrs. Lever's original request was for rights over an area of twenty miles radius, which was reduced to five in the offer of the Colonial Office. Ten was eventually agreed to after considering further the representations of the firm that that area was necessary to the effective enjoyment of the rights granted.
§ Mr. TOUCHEMay I ask whether, in justification of their request for an increase from five to ten, they submitted figures of their experience, or whether any figures were asked for by the Colonial Office, as would be the case in an ordinary commercial transaction?
§ Mr. HARCOURTI could not answer that without notice, but I will gladly answer it with notice.
§ 59. Mr. TOUCHEasked if the application of Messrs. W. B. MacIver and Company, Limited, with whom Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited, are associated, for rights for the development of the palm oil industry is restricted to the Gold Coast Colony; and if it has been granted, or any indication given that it will be granted, in respect of approximately 311 square miles?
§ Mr. HARCOURTI would refer the hon. Member to the letter from the Colonial Office to Messrs. Lever of 17th December lest, which is printed at page 44 of the recent Blue Book, Cd. 6561. Nothing has passed since that communication.