Dr Thomas Shiels: The latest figures available from Jamaica and Mauritius relate to the crop season for 1929. In Jamaica an area of 44,034 acres was under sugarcane cultivation, in Mauritius 156,085 acres. The production was 65,596 tons of sugar or 1.26 tons per acre, and 234,276 tons or 1.50 tons per acre, respectively. The acreage mentioned is that normally under cultivation. The area actually reaped during...
Dr Thomas Shiels: The Governor of Jamaica was requested to inform the petitioners that their petitions had been laid before His Majesty the King, who had caused them to be transmitted to the Secretary of State for the Colonies; that the Secretary of State had advised His Majesty that his Ministers would continue to watch with sympathy and concern the difficulties which embarrass not only the sugar industry but...
Dr Thomas Shiels: I am afraid that I should require notice of that question.
Dr Thomas Shiels: The Governor of Jamaica has recently reported that for the financial year 1930–31 expenditure on the repatriation of distressed Jamaicans from Cuba amounted to £7,300, and that a special officer had been appointed to assist the local authorities at Santiago de Cuba in dealing with the situation. Over 2,000 persons were repatriated to Jamaica during 1930, and in July of that year it was...
Dr Thomas Shiels: The action is primarily one for the Government of Jamaica, and, as far as things have gone, they have found themselves capable of dealing with the situation. If they had anything further to suggest, of course we should be glad to consider it.
Dr Thomas Shiels: As I explained before, there is a general depression in the sugar industry in the West Indies, and Cuba, in spite of some statements to the contrary in certain quarters, has suffered quite as much depression as our own islands.
Dr Thomas Shiels: No, I have not heard of any.
Dr Thomas Shiels: I do not think that it is necessary.
Dr Thomas Shiels: Yes, Sir. This important question has been specially studied by the Locust Control Committee of the Economic Advisory Council and active steps are being taken to co-ordinate work in the countries concerned on its solution. On the recommendation of that Committee in its Third Report (Command Paper 3642) a scheme of investigation into the breeding and migration of the desert locust is being...
Dr Thomas Shiels: Yes, we are well aware of the importance of the subject. A conference of experts is being held very shortly, and after that we hope to have co-operative action by all the Governments concerned.
Dr Thomas Shiels: As the answer to this question necessarily contains a large number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend'" permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Dr Thomas Shiels: Statistics of alienated land in Kenya in the form desired are not on record in the Colonial Office, but the Governor of Kenya is being asked whether he can supply them.
Dr Thomas Shiels: The question of evacuating the inhabitants of Tristan da Cunha has been considered from time to time, but owing to the opposition of the islanders to their removal, it has not been thought desirable to take any action in the matter. The charge on public funds, to which the hon. Member refers, is confined to the cost of providing occasional steamer calls for the purpose of carrying mails and...
Dr Thomas Shiels: I am sorry to hear that the hon. Member is not satisfied with my financial exposition, because I gathered from the discussion that those who were present during the fairly full Debate on Friday last had got all the information which they desired from me. I gave a very full description not only of the object of this Resolution and of the Bill—an object with which everyone sympathises—but...
Dr Thomas Shiels: If I may, by the leave of the House, reply to some of the points which have been put forward in the short discussion we have had, I shall be very glad to do so. The hon. Member for Bromley (Mr. Campbell) raised a point with which I dealt thoroughly on the last occasion, namely, the question of the use of British materials. As I pointed out, as far as Government work was concerned, the...
Dr Thomas Shiels: I believe there has been an improvement. Of course, I did not know that this subject was going to be raised. I will take a note of it, and on the Second Reading Debate I hope that we shall be able to give information as to the latest aspect of this public health question. The hon. and gallant Member for Kelvingrove reminded us that there was only one item that I was not able to give. The sum...
Dr Thomas Shiels: Yes, a little over £1,000,000. I might, of course, follow the hon. and gallant Member into the very interesting region of preference, but I do not think it desirable to do at this late hour. Not that there would not be something to say on the other side. I would remind the hon. Member that only one year before we came into office the suggestion was made to the then Chancellor of the...
Dr Thomas Shiels: This week we have been considering domestic matters of great urgency and importance, but to-day I have to bring before hon. Members a subject, also important, affecting one of our oversea territories, in which, although it is not often mentioned in the House, we have a great concern. Mauritius has an interesting history, and is one of a number of examples in the Empire of a territory with...
Dr Thomas Shiels: I have to express my appreciation of the sympathetic reception of this Resolution by the Committee. It will not, I think, be necessary to take much time in dealing with the points raised. The hon. Member for Windsor (Mr. A. Somerville) spoke of this measure as a dole. That is surely a wrong way of looking at it. It is rather an expression of practical sympathy with the Colony on a very...
Dr Thomas Shiels: I understand the hon. Member and was about to answer that point. There is no reason to suppose that Mauritius will be precluded from raising future loans by reason of the priority given to this one. The 1892 guarantee loan had the same priority, but that has not prevented Mauritius since then raising a number of loans on its own credit and without the guarantee of the Imperial Government....
