Dr Thomas Shiels: I believe so. The hon. Member for Torquay (Mr. C. Williams) asked a number of questions. I am always impressed by the interest which the hon. Member takes in a large variety of subjects, and by his great desire for accurate information regarding them. It is true that there would have been a deficit supposing that the hurricane had not occurred. I thought I made that clear in my earlier...
Dr Thomas Shiels: I feel that it is really unnecessary to make such a representation and that it might not be desirable to do so. I believe it to be practically certain, from the record of Mauritius and all we know about it, that British materials will be used as much as possible. In regard to the Government property the material used will be purchased in this country as a matter of course. I do not think it...
Dr Thomas Shiels: I would not wish to do the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mr. Boyce) any injustice and I gladly accept the hon. Member's view of what he said. I have dealt, I believe, with most of the points raised in the course of the discussion. Again, may I say that I appreciate the reception which the Resolution has received from the Committee. It is what one would have expected and I shall be very grateful...
Dr Thomas Shiels: The public debt, I understand, is £2,800,000 and the annual revenue is a little over £1,000,000. I hope that information will satisfy the hon. Member.
Dr Thomas Shiels: All British subjects who possess the requisite qualifications are eligible for appointment as puisne judges in the Leeward Islands. Such judges are selected by the Secretary of State on the authority of His Majesty and are appointed by the Governor by Letters Patent under the Public Seal of the Colony in accordance with such instructions as the Governor may receive from His Majesty through a...
Dr Thomas Shiels: Yes, there are at least two coloured puisne judges at present in the West Indies.
Dr Thomas Shiels: The conversations are now at an end, and I hope that it may be possible to a make a further statement in the near future.
Dr Thomas Shiels: I never said that we had satisfied Jewish interests. What I said to the hon. Member before, and what I say now, is that an opportunity has been given to both parties to consider the subject.
Dr Thomas Shiels: I do not think that is necessary. What the conversations were about is quite well-known. They were about the new development scheme, on which a statement will be published very shortly.
Dr Thomas Shiels: These conversations merely afforded an opportunity for both sides to give their views on the development proposals of His Majesty's Government, and the results of those conversations will be evident in the statement which will be made very shortly.
Dr Thomas Shiels: I should think it will be ready within the next few weeks.
Dr Thomas Shiels: Representations which have recently been made on this subject are now being referred by my Noble Friend to the Governor of Kenya for consideration.
Dr Thomas Shiels: I am aware that there is only one Arab representative, but it is not quite accurate to say that the Arabs are in a majority, because there are more Indians than Arabs in Mombasa; but, still, I recognise that there is a case for consideration, and that point has been put to the Governor of Kenya.
Dr Thomas Shiels: Any alteration in the franchise rests entirely with the Legislature of Bermuda, over which my Noble Friend has no control. His Majesty's Government are therefore not in a position to take any action in the matter.
Dr Thomas Shiels: I am not aware of that fact. As the hon. Lady knows, the Secretary of State, in a dispatch, pointed out the position in regard to the franchise, and went very closely into this matter. I am afraid that it is not possible to take any further steps.
Dr Thomas Shiels: Bermuda is in a special position, and nothing can be done in this matter without an Act of Parliament.
Dr Thomas Shiels: Attention was called at the end of last year to a reported shortage of flour, sugar and other necessaries among the inhabitants of Tristan da Cunha, and arrangements were at once made for a vessel to call there to take supplies which had been collected to the islanders. As has been done in recent years, provision has been included in the Estimates presented to this House to cover the cost of...
Dr Thomas Shiels: An Agreement revising the Convention of the 14th of March, 1925, with the Turkish Petroleum Company was signed at Bagdad on the 24th of March, 1931, and has since been accepted by both Chambers of the Iraq Legislature. It is not possible to give details within the limits of a reply to a question in Parliament, but the full text of both the Agreements is being printed as an appendix to the...
Dr Thomas Shiels: I am sure we all agree that the hon. Member for Camberwell (Dr. Morgan) was much too modest in his description of himself, and that the community of the West Indies and especially that part of it in which he takes a particular interest, have in him an eloquent advocate. I was also glad to note from the exclamations in various parts of the House that there was disagreement with the hon....
Dr Thomas Shiels: As I explained, we are considering the possibility of a Commission to inquire into closer union of Trinidad and the Leeward and Windward Islands. The Commission will have to advise according to its terms of reference, but we are trying to find out first the drift of public opinion and all the other relevant facts. I am not in a position to announce a decision, but, as I said, an effort will...
