CO129-365 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1910 [1-3] — Page 357

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Legislative Council as one in which private initiative had

been rendered abortive by lack of sympathy on the part of

Government I accorded the interview to Senor Pescio and

had long conversations with him on that and subsequent

occasions. He informed me that practically all the Un-

-official Members of Council were in favour of the scheme,

and complained that it had been rejected without the

Executive Council or Community having an opportunity of

pronouncing their opinion upon it. I therefore promised to

bring it before the Executive Council. I did so and the

Council advised that further information was required be-

-fore the scheme could be discussed with any advantage.

This more precise information the necessity for which I

had myself pointed out to Senor Pescio has never been

forthcoming. In regard to his statement that the Un-

-official Members of the Legislative Council were in

favour of it, my enquiries are to the following effect:-

Mr. W. J. Gresson sees no harm in it but would not let his

name appear on the Frospectus of a Company formed to

undertake it. Dr. Ho Kai does not recollect what he said.

Sir Paul Chater says he gave no encouragement whatever,

and told him the scheme could never pay, but if he chose to

throw away money upon it he would not oppose him. Mr.

Murray