, 1896-05-23
THE LEEWARD ISLANDS.

report to The Colonial Office upon the finances
and administration Of the colony Of the Lee
ward Islands $3.50 be laid upon the table Of
the House. lie said ii at it was nearly three
years ago since he felt it to be his duty to
call attention t. the troubles in Dominica.
At that time the island had few friends, but
he was thankful tosay now it had more int1uen-
tial ones than himself. Since that day many
things had happened. Sir r.. Hamilton was
sent ont to inquire into the administration Of
the island, and his report was issued early
in 1894. 1t dealt with he whole colony of
the Leeward Islands. lis administration, and
finance. A sum IF g. 10000 was spent on
roads and bridges. and OF this Csc, eco was
raised ~ loan and ElO,0C0 was raised by the
Governor from the Lcewuld Islands treasury
and Grown Agents. 1t appeared nat mac
curate and incomplete records were Kept OF
the expenditure. Here was one thCn-"1o
be accounted for G2,475 lGs. 1d.' The re-
port stated that there was a most inadequate
return for the outlay. There were bridges
that would not fit and stores which wore use
less III fact, not more than $4,000 worth OF
work had been done, and that was all that
was to be shown for $40, 900. Sir II. liamil-
ton also reported On the balance sheet Of the
island at tire end OF 1913 that there was near
ly &20, 900 due to the LeeWard Islands trea-
sury, nearly 81, 600 to the Crown Agents, as
we'll as &95 900 to b.ndholders, In 1894 the
ateColonialSecretary stated that a consldera-
bio prOpol ion of the expenditure on public
works has been incurred without the sanction
of the Assembly or the Secretary Of state.
Sir F. FIemming was seat out, and the imam
ces and accounts were found in great coufa-
sion. and Mr.. Oliver, who was sent out as
AUDITOR General, and the present Colonial
Secretary, stated that the accounts seemed to
have fallen into unintclligible confusion. In
the Federal balan ce-sheet, issued carly THIS
year, this stral Sc item appeared under the
head of "Sundry drblors'-"SirW W. +. Haynes
Smith. K.C.M.G. G246l 0S. ID" Whether
there was any relation IetWcen this and the
sum he had already mentioned he did not
know, but no doubt tie matter would be
cleared up. The accounts were being fear
lessly gone into, and confidence was being
restored. He trusted that Mr.. Olivier's re-
port would be made available to Englishmen,
and he begged to move that the report
should be laid upon the table Of the House,
(Hear)
The Earl of Selborne said that it was I'M
fortunately quite true, as the noble lord had
stated, that the local administration Of the
island of Dominica had up TO a r cent period
been distinctly bad. Public works had been
uQuoFCak6A NItilObU dtlNHHdt CHi'r GNU AO'''
had been raised which had been wasted, and
bridge girders were lying on the banks OF
rivers without any roads having been con-
structed to lead up TO the proposed bridge.
It was therefore quite true, as the noble lord
had stated, that the general financial control
Of the Leeward Islands had been most lax,
and that it had been necessary to send out a
gentleman from the Colonial Office to act as
auditor. general to diSentaugle the accounts.
With reference to the statement that the
proceeds of the sale of Crown lands in Domi-
MICA had been paid into the Imperial Ex-
eheouer, he YVES afraid that there was some
foundation for it although the exact sums so
misapplied were not ascertainable. Those
sales, however, had taken place during the
last century, and therefore the fault could
not be charged against any modern Govern
ment. 1t would be premature to make any
statement as to the policy which the Govern
ment intended to pursue with regard to the
Leevard Islands; but as had already been
stated by Mr.. Chamberlain, the Government
intended to make proposals which, while
adequately safeguarding the interests of the
British taxpayer, would give a chance of
development to the islands. In these cir
csmstances he hoped that the noble earl
would withdraw his motion and would not
renew it until after Easter Hear, hear.)
The Earl of Stamford said that after the
statement of the noble earl he would with