CO537-6046 — Page 202

-11-

17.

In subsequent discussion Sir Hubert Rance made the

following points:

(i) that Bermuda and the Bahamas were not included

in the scheme for federation, that both islands

stood aloof from participation and that so long as

"Bay Street" existed in the Bahamas he did not

think there was any likelihood of this feeling

being changed there.

(ii) that he was doubtful whether Federation would, in

fact, come about in five, or perhaps even in ten

years.

(iii) that some politicians, particularly in the smaller

islands, ignoring the economic and defence factors,

still felt that self-government without federation

could be obtained. A few people in the larger islands

were gradually coming to realize that independence

for each separate territory was impracticable. Some

politicians also saw their present position of

prominence threatened with engulfment under

federation and were opposed to the scheme for this

reason.

(iv) that, in his view, there was no possibility of

S

self-sufficiency without federation but there was a

prospect of obtaining it with federation in spite

of the admittedly very high birth-rate and the

decreasing death-rate.

(v) that the main reactions to the proposals for

federation were twofold; the larger territories

/were