HC Deb 01 June 1938 vol 336 cc2033-4
51. Mr. Riley

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any further statement to make regarding the disturbances and casualties on 23rd May in Jamaica?

Mr. M. MacDonald

I have nothing to add to the statement made in reply to the hon. Member on 26th May as regards the disturbances on 23rd May itself. As regards events subsequent to that date, serious disturbances occurred in Spanish Town on 26th May, resulting in eight casualties among the police and the mob, none of which were fatal. Order was restored by midnight. At Ports Morant and 'Bowden workers who had been on strike, accepted increases of pay and returned to work. In Kingston, agreement was eventually reached as to the pay of wharf labourers and banana workers, and the strike was declared off. Agreement has been reached for increases in the pay of the lowest paid Public Works Department labour throughout the Island. In the parishes, however, unrest and strikes for higher pay have continued accompanied by demonstrations and some cutting of telegraph wires, but full police precautions have been taken.

Last night the Governor reported that the improvement in the situation in Kingston had been maintained and that the general resumption of work was proceeding smoothly. The Conciliation Board yesterday discussed with the banana fruit companies rates for workers on estates. Discussions with planters are taking place to-day. Unrest in most parishes continues but the authorities hope that when the action being taken by the Conciliation Board is more widely known this unrest may disappear.

I should add that I regret to state that the Governor has been taken ill and has been obliged to go into hospital. An operation has been performed, and I am glad to say that his present condition is satisfactory.

Mr. Riley

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for the information he has given, may I ask him why he used the term "mob "in describing the people taking part in the demonstration, and whether he has ascertained if all the persons injured were actively participating in the disturbances, and if not, will any compensation be available for those who were innocent victims?

Mr. MacDonald

Perhaps "unruly crowd "would have been a more appropriate term, but if I had used that, the answer would have been even longer than it was. With regard to the latter part of the question, it is not customary in these cases for compensation to be paid, and it would be only in very exceptional circumstances that a precedent would be created.

Mr. Pritt

In view of the large number of cases of shooting that are obviously going to occur in the near future, would it not be better to institute a precedent?