§ Mr. STEWARTasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the Colonies whose coinage is affected by the Silver Coinage Bill; whether the present silver coinage of West Africa is to be altered, and, if so, to what extent; whether there is to be a new rupee in East Africa of inferior intrinsic value to the Indian rupee, and, if so, to what extent inferior; whether the Colonial Office will be able to alter the fineness of any Colonial coinage, should they deem it advisable to do so; and whether it will be possible to institute a coinage of a uniform standard for all His Majesty's territories in Africa under the administration of the Colonial Office?
§ Lieut.-Colonel AMERYThe colonies affected are the West Indies, including Bermuda, British Honduras and British Guiana, the Falkland Islands, St. Helena, Fiji, Malta, Gibraltar, and to some extent the West African Colonies. The question of altering the present silver coinage of West Africa is now under consideration. It is proposed to introduce a now rupee in East Africa of inferior intrinsic value to the Indian rupee. The fineness of the new coin will be 450. It is for the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to advise as to the issue by His Majesty of Orders in Council regulating Colonial coinage. As regards the last part of the question the effect of the changes now contemplated will be to bring all the African territories under the administration of the Colonial Office, except Somaliland and Zanzibar, on to a uniform sterling basis.