126
3. It will be seen that the Presidencies of Antigua, St. Kitts-Nevis, and Dominica are reluctant to add to the annual estimates at the present time any expenditure that can be avoided, but that the Presidency of Montserrat will be glad to join with other West Indian Colonies in giving effect to the scheme.
4. I am in entire sympathy with the proposals that have been made, and believe that they would be productive of much good to the rising generation, but, until this Presidency has a working balance in favour of revenue over expenditure, I do not think that any new proposal entailing the disbursement of public money should be entertained, unless in a matter of vital importance.
(No. 57/124.) SIR,
I have, &c.,
BICKHAM SWEET-ESCOTT,
Governor.
Enclosure 1 in No. 186.
Commissioner's Office, Montserrat, February 18, 1907. WITH reference to Your Excellency's despatch, No. 24/S.S., 534, of the 25th January, on the subject of conveying to Colonial children by means of visual instruc- tion a better idea of conditions of life in the United Kingdom, I have the honour to inform Your Excellency that I laid your despatch with the enclosures before the Executive Council on the 15th instant, and that the Council concurred in the excel- lence of the scheme, and was of opinion that it is desirable to unite with the other West Indian Colonies as soon as possible in starting the lectures with lantern slides.
2. I have not as yet received the book to which Your Excellency_refers in paragraph 3 of your despatch, but when I have, and have laid it before the Executive Council, I shall return it to Your Excellency as you desire.
127
Enclosure 3 in No. 186.
(Saint Christopher, Nevis. No. 104.)
Government Ilouse, St. Kitts, West Indies, SIR,
April 2, 1907. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's despatch, No. 50, dated 25th January, enclosing sundry correspondence on the subject of lantern lectures on the United Kingdom which it is suggested should be delivered to Colonial children with a view to giving them a better idea of life in the United Kingdom. Your Excellency was also so good as to transmit the copy of the West India Edition of the lectures which had been sent to you.
2. As directed, I have laid the papers before the Executive Council, the members of which advise that as some expense would be involved, it would be well not to adopt the scheme here. Personally, I should like to have the lectures delivered to the children of this Presidency with the accompanying views, but I agree with the Council in their view that it is desirable to be very careful to avoid all expenditure which it is not strictly necessary to incur in the interests of the Presi- dency. It is true that the estimates for the year 1907-08 show a satisfactory surplus, but I have just learnt that the Imperial Department of Agriculture will no longer provide the salary of the Agricultural and Science Master at the Grammar School, a subject on which I am addressing Your Excellency in a separate despatch, and we must look forward to an increased contribution for a mail service.
3. With much reluctance, therefore, I inform Your Excellency that this Presi- dency cannot adopt the proposal for these lectures.
4. I have sent the book on to His Honour the Administrator of Dominica as requested.
His Excellency
I have, &c.,
T. LAWRENCE ROXBURGH,
Administrator.
I have, &c.,
W. B. DAVIDSON-HOUSTON,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commissioner.
His Excellency
The Governor of the Leeward Islands.
SIR,
Enclosure 2 in No. 186.
(Dominica. No. 273/1136.)
Government House, Dominica, July 24, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's despatch, No. 243, of the 17th July, and to express my regret that your despatch, No. 28, of the 25th January last, has remained unanswered.
2. I circulated Your Excellency's despatch of the 25th January amongst the Members of the Executive Council, and the copy of the "Lantern Lectures on the United Kingdom," received from the Administrator of St. Kitts on the 9th April last, has also been circulated.
3. After perusing Your Excellency's despatch of the 25th January, the weight of opinion expressed by the Members of the Executive Council was not in favour of incurring the expense of giving visual instruction to the children in the Govern- ment Schools of this Presidency on the conditions of life in the United Kingdom.
I have, &c.,
DOUGLAS YOUNG,
Sir Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott, K.C.M.G.,
Governor of the Leeward Islands, Antigua.
Enclosure 4 in No. 186.
EXTRACT from Minutes of Proceedings of Executive Council.
HONOURABLE COLONIAL SECRETARY,
Ar a meeting of the Executive Council of Antigua held on the 23rd instant. The Governor laid before the Council the Secretary of State's despatch, General, of the 13th December, 1906, which had been previously circulated among the members, enclosing a book of lantern lectures on the United Kingdom, which had been prepared with a view to giving effect to the scheme for conveying to children in the Colonies a better idea of conditions of life in the United Kingdom.
The Council was of opinion that the finances of Antigua did not justify the Presidency taking part in the scheme, and advised that the Secretary of State's despatch should be circulated among the other Presidencies of the Colony for an expression of their views.
The Governor concurred and ordered accordingly.
January 23, 1907.
33924
No. 187.
E. D'A. TIBBITS, Acting Clerk,
Executive Council.
His Excellency
Sir Bickham Sweet-Escott, K.C.M.G.,
&c.,
&c.,
&c.
Administrator.
SIR,
PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O-885
17 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
LEEWARD ISLANDS.
THE EARL OF ELGIN to Governor SIR E. B. SWEET-ESCOTT.
(Miscellaneous.)
Downing Street, September 26, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 363, of
127
Inclosure 3 in No. 186.
No. 104.)
Government House, St. Kitts, West Indies,
April 2, 1907. knowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's despatch,
enclosing sundry correspondence on the subject of Kingdom which it is suggested 'should be delivered w to giving them a better idea of life in the United as also so good as to transmit the copy of the West hich had been sent to you.
laid the papers before the Executive Council, the as some expense would be involved, it would be well Personally, I should like to have the lectures Presidency with the accompanying views, but I agree that it is desirable to be very careful to avoid all ictly necessary to incur in the interests of the Presi- nates for the year 1907-08 show a satisfactory surplus, Imperial Department of Agriculture will no longer cultural and Science Master at the Grammar School,
essing Your Excellency in a separate despatch, and creased contribution for a mail service.
, therefore, I inform Your Excellency that this Presi- sal for these lectures.
on to His Honour the Administrator of Dominica as
I have, &c.,
eet-Escott, K.C.M.G.,
T. LAWRENCE Roxburgh,
he Leeward Islands, Antigua.
Administrator.
Enclosure 4 in No. 186.
ites of Proceedings of Executive Council.
RY,
ecutive Council of Antigua held on the 23rd instant. he Council the Secretary of State's despatch, General,
which had been previously circulated among the lantern lectures on the United Kingdom, which had giving effect to the scheme for conveying to children f conditions of life in the United Kingdom.
on that the finances of Antigua did not justify the › scheme, and advised that the Secretary of State's among the other Presidencies of the Colony for an
ind ordered accordingly.
E. D'A. TIBBITS, Acting Clerk,
Executive Council.
No. 187.
EEWARD ISLANDS.
V to GOVERNOR SIR E. B. SWEET-ESCOTT.
Downing Street, September 26, 1907.
cknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 363, of
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O-885
17 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO