§ 16. Mr. MORGAN JONESasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has given consideration to the 1911 reply of the Suva Municipal Council to the communication which he addressed to them on 30th August last; whether it is his intention to insist that a majority of the municipal council shall consist of official nominees and that the chairman shall be an official nominee; and whether he can give the House an indication of the reason for this policy?
Mr. M. MacDONALDMy right hon. Friend has not been in communication with the municipal council of Suva. Proposals for reconstituting the municipal council of Suva were laid by the Governor of Fiji before the Fiji Legislative Council in October last. They will not be debated until the next meeting of the Legislative Council, which is to be held in March. This procedure was adopted with the object of providing members of the council with an opportunity for discussing the proposals with their constituents. Pending the debate in the Legislative Council my right hon. Friend is not prepared to make any statement on the subject.
§ Mr. JONESDo I understand from that that no letter was sent on 30th August, and, if so, is the hon. Gentleman aware that I have in my hand a copy of a report from the municipal council of Suva in which they refer to it?
Mr. MacDONALDMy right hon. Friend has made no communication. Possibly there has been a misunderstanding, and it may refer to a communication from the Colonial Secretary in Fiji about which we have no information.