§ Mr. KINGasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, "whether he can give reasons for the increase of £3,379 collected in 1910 in the Gilbert and Ellice islands under the head of native taxes; and what is the exact nature of the taxation at present imposed on the natives of these islands?
Mr. HARCOURTThe apparent increase in native taxes in 1910—shown in Cd. 6007–34—was, I understand, mainly due to the fact that part of the 1909 taxes was not brought into account until 1910, and also partly due to the increased price at which the tax-copra was sold in the latter year. The system of native taxation is described in Cd. 4356 and Cd. 4992.