Dr. Morganasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many of the salaries of Governors of British West Indian Colonies are subject to Income Tax and what rate of tax is imposed, whether at British or local rates; whether he is aware that at a meeting of the Legislative Council of the Island of St. Kitts-Nevis, in August or September last year, a resolution was proposed, by a nominated member and passed, that the local government should introduce legislation forthwith for the purpose of ensuring that Income Tax should be charged upon the salaries of the Governor of the Colony and the Administrator of the Presidency, and has any further step been taken?
§ Colonel StanleyI have heard that a resolution in the sense suggested in the Question was proposed and passed at a recent meeting of the Legislative Council of the Presidency of St. Kitts-Nevis, but I have not yet received a copy of the proceedings. It has, however been the universal rule throughout the Empire for many years that a Colonial Governor should be exempted on grounds of public policy from liability to local Income Tax in respect of his official salary and allowances.392W I regard it as important that this well established principle should be maintained, and I should be opposed to any suggestion to depart from it.