§ 39. Mr. FELLasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will cause to be exhibited in the Tea Room a map showing the position and extent of any concessions which have been granted during the past three years in the Crown Colonies on the West Coast of Africa?
Mr. HARCOURTIt would be impossible to exhibit these concessions accurately, on a map of reasonable size, as many of them cover a very small area. The hon. Member will find full information as regards concessions in the Parliamentary Papers which have recently been published in Cd. 5743 of 1911, and No. 68 of 1912, and in my Written Answer to the hon. Member for Dulwich, circulated to-day.
Mr. HARCOURTThere are no maps included in the, Papers, but if I can be of any assistance to the hon. Member in the matter of maps, I shall be glad to do what I can.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the statistics as to the amount of land granted given in the Blue Books cover only those Grants which have received Government sanction, and that, as a matter of fact, Grants ten times as large have been made which have not received official sanction, but are being used by the concessionaires?
Mr. HARCOURTThe word "Grants" should not be used, but it is quite true that arrangements have sometimes been made by private individuals with local 1494 chiefs, but these are not Grants which have been validated by the local Courts.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODBut they are being acted upon.