§ 22 and 23. Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) if he will instruct the Governor of Gibraltar that when appointing members to the city council of Gibraltar he shall have regard to the need for adequate representation of the working people on the council and to make his appointments accordingly;
(2) if he is aware that at the time of the drafting of the constitution of the city council of Gibraltar the Governor of the Colony gave an undertaking that the two seats at present filled by Governor's appointments would be handed over to the electorate as soon as the people of the Colony proved themselves efficient in self-government; and if it is now proposed to give effect to that undertaking?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI am not aware of the undertaking to which reference is made. The Governor's chief consideration in making the appointments in question must clearly be to provide a body which is capable of administering the affairs of the city council to the best advantage in the public interest. I have no doubt that in making his selections he takes into 937 account, so far as is legitimate, all other considerations, and I do not therefore feel that any useful purpose would be served by instructing him in the sense suggested. I would observe that, in addition to the five members appointed by the Governor, two of whom must by law be representatives of the Admiralty and War Department, four members of the council are chosen by popular election, which should give ample scope for the free representation of the various classes of the community.
§ Mr. MACLEANHas the right hon. Gentleman made inquiries to find out whether that undertaking was not given at a conference between the Governor and the citizens of Gibraltar?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNaturally, I have not answered this question without making inquiries, and there is absolutely no record in the Colonial Office of any undertaking of that kind. If the hon. Gentleman has evidence which would prove that we are not in possession of certain facts, no doubt he will supply me with it, and, if I have real ground for making inquiries, then I will make inquiries of the Governor.
§ Brigadier-General CLIFTON BROWNIn view of the trouble and misery on the mainland outside, and in view of the half-baked ideas of Socialism and Republicanism which are disturbing the mainland, will my right hon. Friend see that the Governor is not interfered with in conducting British government as he thinks best in that country?
§ Mr. MACLEANIs there anything in this question that suggests bringing in from outside half-baked Socialist ideas?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI did not so understand the question. It seems to me that it is entirely a matter as to how, inside Gibraltar, which is a British Colony, we could most conveniently appoint, in the public interest, representatives to serve on the city council.