§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the statement that during the period covered by the correspondence with Messrs. Lever Brothers, Limited, no concessions, privileges, or rights in British West Africa were applied for by any other parties, concessions obtained from the natives are not taken into account; if so, what leases or concessions of this nature have come to his notice up to the present time, whether they require validation, and what, if any, assurances have been given with regard to them?
Mr. HARCOURTI presume the "statement" to which the hon. Member refers is that contained in the answer which I gave him on 17th April. If so, he does not quite correctly state the terms of that answer, which were, "During the period referred to I received no application for any concession in British West Africa similar to that made by Messrs. Lever Brothers." Three applications of a somewhat similar kind have since been made in Sierra Leone. Two of these are by persons who have not yet visited the country and who have not asked for any definite area, and the third needs further inquiry before it can be dealt with. All of them will require validation if they are proceeded with.