§ 29. Colonel GRETTONasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the King's House in the Old Square, Spanish Town, Jamaica, was insured before it was burnt in 1925; if so, what was the amount of the insurance money; whether it has been paid; and whether it is intended to recondition this building as a fine example of 18th century architecture?
§ Dr. SHIELSI regret that I am unable to supply the information desired by the right hon. and gallant Member in the first three parts of the question. The reports received from the Governor at the time contain no reference to the question of insurance, but it is not usual that Government property should be insured. With regard to the last part of the question, I would refer the right hon. and gallant Member to the answer given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for the English Universities (Sir M. Conway) on 20th November, 1929, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Colonel GRETTONWill the hon. Gentleman endeavour to obtain this information, which is no doubt available, and answer a question to the same effect if it is put down at a later date?
§ Dr. SHIELSYes, I shall be very glad to obtain any further information that the right hon. and gallant Gentleman desires, but I wished him to understand from my answer that he might take it for granted that there was no insurance, and, therefore, that there are no funds available from that quarter.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREArising out of the original answer, are we to understand that no further information or indication of the Governor's views has been received since November last; and has there been no reply to the representations made to the Government that this building ought to be repaired?
§ Dr. SHIELSThe matter has been very carefully investigated, and our latest information is to the effect that the remaining parts of the walls are not fit to sustain any structure at all, so that, if the building were to be repaired, these walls would first have to be taken down, and practically a new building would have to be erected, and in that case the argument on historic grounds would fall.