§ 6. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to a lecture delivered at a meeting of the Royal Colonial Institute on 27th October, 1914, by Mr. R. E. Dennett, of the Forests; Department, Nigeria, in which he suggested that spirits for importation into Nigeria, which have hitherto been produced in Germany, might be made in Great Britain; and whether he will take steps to prevent Colonial officials from encouraging a trade which has been condemned by international agreement as being inimical to the moral and material welfare of the native population?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Bonar Law)I have examined the lecture referred to, which seems to me to do nothing more than suggest that to whatever extent consumption of spirits does take place it is better that it should be of gin made from grain in the United Kingdom than of potato spirit made in. Germany. I see nothing objectionable in Mr. Dennett's remarks, and I have no reason to believe that any officials have encouraged or propose to encourage this trade.