§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now received from the Government of Jamaica new proposals for the reform of the constitution of Jamaica differing from the recommendations made in the Report of the right hon. Member for Ripon (Mr. E. Wood), which were communicated to Parliament as agreed to by the then Secretary of State; and whether he will inform Parliament of the changes now proposed by the Government of Jamaica before taking any final decision on the matter?
Mr. THOMASAs the hon. Member is aware, various amendments were proposed by the Legislative Council of Jamaica to the scheme of constitutional reform suggested by the right hon. Member for Ripon. Certain features of these amendments were criticised by my predecessor, and his suggestions have now been accepted by the Legislative Council with the single exception that the Council desires to retain the power of veto in financial matters bestowed upon nine elected members under Clause 8 of the Order in Council of 3rd October, 1895. I have not yet arrived at a decision in regard to this outstanding point. Papers64W are being placed in the Library of the House which record fully the various stages of the question.