§ 10. Mr. Manderasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the position with regard to the application by Mr. C. Brudenell-Bruce, of Virgin Islands Tobacco, for a loan from the Colonial Development Fund, for the purpose of developing tobacco-growing in the British Virgin Islands; and whether, in view of the long delay in coming to a decision in 944 this matter, he is able to state what assistance it is proposed to give?
§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Malcolm MacDonald)In April, 1939, I received an application for a loan of £3,000 from the Colonial Development Fund to finance this undertaking. Certain difficulties were apparent, particularly as regards marketing, and I felt unable to place the matter before the Colonial Development Advisory Committee until some means of overcoming them could be devised. In the meantime, loans totalling £1,000 have been made to this undertaking from the funds of the Virgin Islands Government.
§ Mr. ManderIs there any objection in principle to the encouragement of tobacco-growing there, and are not funds available for a concern of this kind?
§ Mr. MacDonaldAs I have said, we are encouraging this tobacco-growing, by giving assistance from the local Government's funds, so clearly there is no objection in principle.