§ 11. Viscount SANDONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement or lay a White Paper as to the dispute with the non-official members in the legislature of the Seychelles; and what reply, if any, was made to their representations of 1927 and 1928, and with how long delay?
§ Mr. AMERYI do not regard the correspondence of sufficient general interest to warrant the expense of a White Paper, but I am giving my Noble Friend a reply, the fulness of which will, I trust, justify my circulating it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the reply:
§ On the 3rd of November last the three members notified the Governor that, owing to the non-receipt of a reply to a letter addressed to me, it would be impossible for them to take part in the meeting of the Legislative Council fixed for the 5th of November, except in so far as the confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting was concerned.
582§ A despatch replying to the letter in question was then on its way to the Colony, and the Governor informed the members that a reply might be expected at an early date.
§ When the Council met on the 5th of November, and the minutes of the previous meeting had been dealt with, one of the members rose and read a letter signed by himself and his two colleagues resigning their seats. The three members then left the Council Chamber.
§ The letter to me was dated the 6th of July, was received in the Colonial Office on the 7th of August, and was answered in a despatch of the 2nd of October, a copy of which will be sent to my Noble Friend.
§ An earlier letter from the members was received in the Colonial Office on the 14th of December, 1927. That letter was not directly addressed to me hut it was discussed in a despatch to the Governor of the 24th January, 1928.