Constitutional Reforms : [Cmd. 2923.] Return showing the results of Elections in India, 1925 and 1926. p. 393 [Cmd. 2986.] Statement relating to the Indian Statutory Commission published on 8th November, 1927, by the Governor-General of India. Indian Church : 423 [Cmd. 2860.] Draft Indian Church Measure introduced to the National Assembly of the Church of England by order of the House of Bishops; and Draft Indian Church. Statutory Rules proposed to be made under the Indian Church Bill, if it passes into law. 29. Progress and Condition: 431 Statement Exhibiting the Moral and Material Progress and Condition of India during the year 1925-26. Sixty-first Number. 447 DROIT Statement of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to accompany the Estimates for Colonial Services, 1927, Class II. 9, and Middle Eastern Services, 1927, Class II. 10. Presented by the Secretary of State for LONDON: PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE. To be purchased directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the following addresses Cmd. 2906. 15, Donegall Square West, Belfast; Price 6d. Net. (c) Communications and Transport (d) Medical, Research, and Education THE WEST INDIES, BERMUDA, BRITISH GUIANA, AND BRITISH HONDURAS Colonial Services, 1927, Class II. 9, and PREFACE. Colonial Services, 1927, Class II. 9. The total expenditure provided for on the Colonial Services Estimate for 1927 is £308,769, as compared with £442,699 in the previous year. The net decrease in the estimated expenditure is £133,930. The reduction in the amounts required for Grants in Aid of Local Revenues during each of the last five years continues. This year £90,000 less is required for Nyasaland, the Protectorate requiring assistance to the extent of £50,000 only towards the sum necessary under the Trans-Zambesia Railway GuarThe improved financial position made it unnecessary to issue £20,000 of the sum voted for the previous year. The great improvement of the revenue in Northern Rhodesia enabled the sum voted last year to be dispensed with and no provision is made this year. Less assistance is needed this year for the general funds of Dominica, which are showing some improvement, while, owing to balances in hand, the amount required for the arrangements agreed to be essential for restoring the economic position is only £5,000 against £15,000 last year. On the other hand, owing to depletion of balances, Somaliland requires this year a loan in aid of the general expenses of administration, in addition to a larger grant for military expendi ture. Somaliland and Nyasaland are this year changing their financial year to the calendar year, and the present is the year of transition. The grant to the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture has been discontinued, but a smaller contribution based on onethird of the probable expenditure is included for the Agricultural Scholarship scheme in connexion with the College. These and other reductions on the B. Subheads for Other Grants in Aid amount to £19,260. Only two other changes on this Estimate need be noticed. There are small unavoidable increases on most items for British Services in the New Hebrides, amounting to £1,359, but again, for the seventh successive year, no assistance is required to meet any deficit on Condominium revenue under the terms of the Anglo-French Protocol, 1914, by virtue of which we are present in the group. Boundary Commissions account for the other increase. The Jubaland Commission has completed its work in the field after two years, and is now settling the maps: £10,300 less is provided for this Commission. On the other side the Anglo-Belgian Commission to complete the delimitation, broken off by the Great War, of the line between Northern Rhodesia and the Congo has now been appointed and is en route. The work is expected to take quite two years. It is this Commission which is responsible for the increase on the Subhead. The usual interest and sinking fund payments expected to be received in respect of East African loans show an increase this year with the issue of further loan grants, and in consequence of the settlement of terms in regard to the Tanganyika loans of past years. (Cmd. 2853.) Middle Eastern Services, 1927, Class II. 10. The circumstances which led to the creation in 1921 of a separate Middle Eastern Services Vote were described in the Statement presented to Parliament in July, 1926 (Cmd. 2704). The Estimates for the present year include, for the first time, charges in respect of political and military administration at Aden. This follows upon a recent decision of His Majesty's Government under which the control of those branches of the Aden Administration has been transferred to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The total expenditure provided in the Middle Eastern Services Estimate, 1927, is £3,395,000, as compared with £4,444,000 for the previous year, showing a net decrease of £1,049,000. Of this decrease £1,141,400 is in respect of 'Iraq, £166,600 is in respect of Palestine, whilst there is an increase of £259,000 in respect of Arabia, owing to the inclusion of charges in respect of the political and military administration of Aden. The cost of the Imperial garrisons in 'Iraq and Palestine, which still forms by far the largest item in the vote, fell from £3,455,500 in 1926 to £2,519,000 in 1927, a decrease of £936,500. Of this decrease £893,900 is attributable to 'Iraq, mainly as a result of the Treaty with Turkey in June, 1926. As an offset to the large annual savings that have been effected in the cost of the garrison in 'Iraq, and as part of the general settlement arising out of the conclusion of this Treaty (Cmd. 2679 of 1926), His Majesty's Government have agreed to waive their claim against the Government of 'Iraq for the repayment of the value of certain "transferred assets," viz., works of public utility (roads, bridges, telegraphs, irrigation works, etc.) constructed in Iraq during the British occupation and subsequently transferred to the Iraq Government under an arrangement by which the estimated capital value, amounting originally to 94 lakhs (approximately £700,000 at the present rate of exchange) and afterwards reduced to 76 lakhs (approximately £570,000) was to be repaid, with interest at 5 per cent., in twenty years. The decision to waive this claim was in accordance |