§ 21. Lieut. - Colonel Lord HENRY CAVEND1SH-BENTINCKasked the-Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is able to give an assurance that no steps will be taken to force upon the people of the Gold Coast Colony and Protectorate the Preferential Tax on oil seeds, against which there was a solid vote of the whole body of unofficial members of the local Legislature?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Lieut.-Colonel Amery)It is the fact that the Second Reading of the measure to which my hon. Friend refers was opposed by the unofficial members of the Gold Coast Legislative-Council, but there is ground for supposing that this was due to a misunderstanding as to its objects and effects, and I trust that the discussion on the later stages of the measure may show that this was the case.
§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this tax, and the idea underlying it, is intensely unpopular amongst the native community there?
§ Colonel WEDGWOODMay we understand that the Colonial Office have not overruled the local Legislature and are re-submitting the Bill to the local Legislature?
§ Lieut.-Colonel AMERYYes; it came up for Second Reading and will come forward for discussion at a later date.