§ Mr. Palingasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give any information about the labour troubles in connection with the sugar estates in Berbice county and Port Mourant, British Guiana?
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§ Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any statement to make regarding the recent disturbances in British Guiana; and what immediate action he proposes to take to deal with the economic distress in this Colony?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThere has been an interruption of work on the Albion and Port Mourant estates in British Guiana, and some disorder and threatening conduct on the part of the crowd, which the police were able to control. I am glad to say that according to the latest report which I have received from the Governor it appears that the efforts of the recently appointed Commissioner of Labour, assisted by the representative of the trade union, to secure an amicable settlement of the matters under dispute, which related chiefly to wages, have met with success. In both cases there have been slight increases of wages, and work has been resumed by the great majority on the estates. As regards any further action, I cannot add anything at present to the statement which I made in the course of the Debate on 14th June.