COLONIAL AND MIDDLE EAST SERVICES. (Hansard, 19 November 1928)

§ The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. Amery)
I do not think I need detain the Committee for more than a few moments in asking for their sympathetic consideration of this Supplementary Vote. Hon. Members will remember that in September last a hurricane of almost unprecedented violence struck the Leeward Islands and passed on working havoc in Guadalupe and Porto Rico and to some extent in the Bahamas and the Jamaica Dependencies. The damage done in the French and American possessions was very generously dealt with in France and America, and, in the case of jamaica and the Bahamas, the local governments were able to deal with their own distress and the loss of government property. The case of the Leeward Islands, however, is rather different. They have hardly recovered from the disastrous hurricane of 1924, and they experienced the full severity of this second hurricane. They lost something like 50 to 60 lives, while a great deal of loss was inflicted upon individual members of their community. That particular aspect of the loss has been largely covered by public and private generosity in every part of the Empire.
The West Indian Committee raised over £3,000 in this country; other West Indian governments contributed £7,500, and Canada, which of recent years has taken a close interest in the West Indies, contributed through a fund organised by Mr. T. B. Macaulay, a wealthy Canadian, who has given many benefactions in the Leeward Islands, a sum of over £15,000, of which the Dominion Parliament gave £5,000. About £27,000 has been raised for the relief of private distress in the Leeward Islands, and as far as the Government estimates show, that ought really to cover pretty closely all the private suffering of the unfortunate inhabitants. At the same time, 1499 however, there was very heavy damage, relatively speaking, to Government property. The poorhouse at Antigua and the Dominica, infirmary were destroyed, and other public buildings, roads, telephone services and jetties were destroyed, the total damage to Government property amounting to a sum of £30,000 in Dominica and £15,000 in the Leeward Islands. With their slender reserves and many losses their governments could not afford to find the whole of that loss, and therefore about one-third, £15,000, is being voted by this Supplementary Estimate, £10,000 to Dominica, half of which is a free gift and half as a loan, free of interest to be repaid when Dominica is in a position to repay, and £5,000 to the other Leeward Islands. The Supplementary Estimate is brought before the Committee in the hope that it will give sympathetic assistance to these old British Colonies which have been once more hard hit by misadventure as well as by changes in economic conditions. I feel confident that this small Vote will meet with the hearty approval of every section in the House.

§ Sir R. HAMILTON
I do not understand how this money is going to be distributed, particularly in Dominica. Dominica has had rather a curious history. Money has been raised in the past on account of hurricanes. There was a large sum raised by the Lord Mayor in the early part of last Session to pay for the damage done to the inhabitants, and it was decided by the Government of the Island that it could best apply it by rebuilding the gaol. I understand they are going to rebuild the infirmary this time, and one or two other Government buildings which have been destroyed. I should like to know if any part of the sum is really going in aid of private suffering?

§ Mr. AMERY
I thought I had made it quite clear that private suffering is covered completely by benefactions from this country, from the other West Indies and from Canada, and that this particular estimate is a contribution to the Governments of Dominica and the other Leeward Islands to meet the destruction of Government property.

§ Sir R. HAMILTON
Do I understand the right hon. Gentleman to be quite 1500 satisfied that private losses have been amply covered by other benefactions?

§ Mr. AMERY
They have been covered—

§ Sir R. HAMILTON
Amply?

§ Mr. AMERY
The Government estimated the total private loss at about £28,000, and the amount already contributed—there is something still more to come in from Canada—is about £27,000.

§ Sir R. HAMILTON
Then the distribution of this money, I take it, will be left entirely to the local government in Dominica? Or will the Home Government exercise any control over the distribution?

§ Mr. AMERY
I think that the Governor will naturally consult me as to the way in which it is to be spent.

§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY
I think that all my friends here are quite prepared to support this expenditure. We welcome the voting of this comparatively small sum—small compared with our huge annual Budget—in helping poorer Dependencies and Crown Colonies. Even if it be a case of rebuilding the poor-house and the infirmary, if that relieves the rates and taxes of the locality, so much the better. I am delighted to find myself in such sympathy and agreement with the Colonial Secretary. Having said that, I ask him to let me know when we are to get a grant of a similar kind to cover losses due to an earthquake in Palestine.

§ Mr. AMERY
I do not know whether I am in order in dealing with Palestine now, but I can say that the revenue of Palestine is sufficient to deal with that case.

§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY
I do not want to get out of order, but this is a new service for the relief of distress caused by an act of God, and I wish to refer to another act of God which has not been relieved.

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN
The hon. and gallant Gentleman cannot go outside the actual terms of the Supplementary Estimate before the Committee. If he wishes to ask questions about other acts of God he must put them on the Question Paper.

§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY
On page 8 there is reference to a Grant-in-Aid for Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, and so forth. Suppose that one of those Virgin Islands had been left out of this relief, should I not have been in order in asking why no relief had been granted to them?

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN
The hon. and gallant Gentleman would not have been in order.