§ 8. Mr. MORRISasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, seeing that there are now seven governors for a community of 2,000,000 people in the British West Indies, he will consider the desirability of one governor-general being appointed for all the islands and 6 possessions in that area, with a senate house composed of representatives from each colony?
§ Mr. AMERYI am afraid I could not deal in reply to a question with all the practical obstacles to any scheme of West Indian federation, but I might refer the hon. Member to the Report of Lord Irwin (then Mr. Wood) on his visit to the West Indies (Cmd. 1679).
§ 11. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the successful economies effected in both large cities and small towns in America by the substitution of a business director for the local government, and in order to relieve the present financial stress, he will take steps to enable any of the small island communities of the West Indies to substitute this system for the present governments presided over by governors or administrators?
§ Mr. AMERYI am not aware of a desire in any of the West Indian Islands for the abolition of representative institutions and the substitution for the present Governors of business men without Colonial administrative experience.
§ Commander BELLAIRSWould it not be possible to have that system should the Islands express a desire to have it, seeing that it has been successful in great cities like Cleveland, Ohio, with a population bigger than the whole of the West Indies?
§ Mr. AMERYSuch cities may have a large population, but the functions of a municipality are much more limited than those of a Colonial Government. In any case, the question is purely hypothetical.