Mr. Serjeant Simon, M.P.:^†

I hope, Sir, that on this occasion we shall not pass over a group of Colonies which have hitherto occupied a very important position, and which at this moment stand in great contrast to the Colonies to which more particular reference has been made. We have been speaking of Australia and Canada—countries of enormous size, great resources, and with a great future. It is with the view of retaining the allegiance of those Colonies that this meeting has mainly been called. But there is another group of our Colonies—our possessions in the West Indies—which are page 53 not in the same happy position, and cannot look forward to the same happy future that these Colonies can. They have passed under great trials and vicissitudes, .through no fault of their own, but entirely under the operation and influence of Imperial legislation. These Colonies formerly had complete self-government; from some of them that self-government has been taken away. The island of Jamaica, for instance, which has been a Crown Colony for seventeen years, has had a partial restoration of self-government. ("Question.") This is the question. Let us consider, not only our great dependencies, which we cannot defy or displease; but let us give some attention and consideration to those Colonies which are not in this position of independence. They have not been mentioned in one of the resolutions that are submitted, and I beg to suggest that the terms of the fifth resolution, which pro-vides that copies of the resolutions shall be forwarded to the several Agents-General, be extended so as to include the West Indies, which have no Agent-General. (Hear, hear)