§ Mr. GWYNNEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give a copy of the letter, dated 11th October, 1912, from the Colonial Office to Messrs. Lever Brothers, which has been omitted from the correspondence officially published?
Mr. HARCOURTNo letter was written to Messrs. Lever Brothers on the 11th of October. One was written, however, to their solicitors assenting to the retention of the words "extraction and or" in the original draft form of licence printed on pages 34, 35, and 36 of Cd. 6561, as follows:—
"Downing Street.
11th October. 1912.
Gentlemen,—I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th ultimo, on the subject of the Concession which it is proposed to grant to Messrs. Lever Brothers in the Sierra Leone Protectorate.
Mr. Harcourt is at present awaiting a communication from the Government of Sierra Leone with regard to the draft instruments, and he will address you further as soon as this in received. I am to state, however, that on further consideration the Secretary of State is prepared to amend the draft licence so that it may confer 'the exclusive right to erect power mills and machinery for the extraction and/or expression of oil from the palm fruit.'—I am, etc. (Signed) G. V. FIDDES.
Messrs. Simpson, North, Harley and Company."