, 1891-12-09
DEM ERARA AND THE NC KINLEY
BILL.

The special session of the Combined Court
summoned by proclamation for the considera-
. ton of Ger tain trade relations between this
colony and the United States of America" was
commenced at 1920 pm, when in addition to
the mem bers of the Court of Policy there were
in attend ance the following Financial Repre-
sentatives MIR. j. Duke Smith Georgetown,
Mr.. ID. M. Hutson (Demerara), Messrs r. g..
Duncan and Fl. Men. Greene (Essequebo), Mr..
B. 81. Stephens New Amsterdam), Mr.. N. R.
McKinnon' Vice President Of the College,
Berbice county.
His Excellency the Governor read the fol-
lowing Speech =
Honorable Gen tlemen ofthe Court of Policy
Gentlemen Financial Representatives.
When | met you in Combined Court on the
18th of Februa ry last, / informed you that l
was already in cor respondence with the Secre-
tary of State on he subject of the possible
effects of the Mckinley Tariff Act upon the
relations of trade between this Colo ny and the
United States Of America, and l anticipated
that, if negotiations between Her Majesty's
Government and the Government of the United
States of America should be carried out by the
methods adopted in the year 1884, when treaty
arrangements for the introduction Of our su-
CARS, duty free, in the United States were con-
~NNARA~SONJ AZ AAASAO w AOOOGootV Ava LIZ "
summon you to meet me in special session
further to deal with the subject. During my
absence in England / was able to cooperate
with the Governors of Jamaica and Barbados
and with Mr.. Neville Lu block to urge upon
Her.Majesty's Governmen t the necessity for
negotiations with the Unite d States Government
with a view to secure for British Guiana
and the West Indian Colonies such a m easure
of advantage as might be found pc ssible
under the clauses Of the Mckinley Tariff
Act.
Within the last few days I have received a
despatch from the Secretary Of State, in which
he says -
cit has been suggested formally by the
Government of the United States of America
that in view of the Reciprocity Clauses of
=" the Mckinley Tariff Act, negotiations be-
tween Her Majesty's Government on behalf
of the British West India Colonies and the
United States Government should proceed
ION the basis proposed in 1884 in the letter
4" from Mr.. West to Mr.. Freylinghuysen on the
eth Of November, 1884 copy of which will be
" laid before you) subject to notifications in
+" the list Of articles therein contained.
90. / desire to ascertain at as early a date as
possible the opinion of the Legislature of the
COLONY under your government upon this
Suggestion.
"3. / should further wish to learn what
reductions or notifications in the Tariff of
=" the Colony the Legislature would be prepar-
led to assent to in any case, so that full infor-
"mation may be furnished to Her Majesty's
minister at Washington.
! have summoned you to meet me in special
Session to-day to enable me to reply to the
Secretary of States despatch in the sense of
your wishes, and, as a convenient method of
obtaining an expression of your opinion, the
views Of the Government will be brought for
ward in a resolution which will embrace the
following recommendations -
ID That it be urged upon the consideration
Of Her Majesty's Government and the United
States Government that the Customs Tariff of
this Colony is not such as can, in fair COM
: parison with the provisions of the Mckinley
Tariff Act, be deemed reciprocally unequal and
unreasonable; +.
a. That i'll view of the pending changes in
the political Constitution of the Colony, it is
reasonable that, if any amendments Of the
existing Tariff be deemed by the United States
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