HC Deb 13 August 1913 vol 56 cc2484-5
15. Mr. KEIR HARDIE

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether on 6th June Lord Gladstone brought into operation the Transvaal Law 6 of 1894; and, if so, what were the circumstances at that date justifying this departure from the ordinary law?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Harcourt)

By a notice in the "Government Gazette" of 6th June, the resident magistrates of Boksburg, Germiston and Krugersdorp, were appointed to be for their respective districts the "local authority" under Section 5 of Law 6 of 1894, whose consent is required for public meetings. This notice does not, like that of 20th June, quoted by Lord Gladstone at page. 5 of Cd. 6942, actually prohibit any particular meeting, but I presume that the responsible Government of the country considered it necessary that the local magistrate should have this power in reserve.

Mr. WEDGWOOD

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the resident magistrate refused to put it into actual operation in consequence of there being no trouble there?

16. Mr. KEIR HARDIE

asked what notice was given that the meeting of miners called in Johannesburg market for 4th July had been prohibited; when the decision to prohibit the meeting was come to; and whether men attending the meeting were not aware it was prohibited until they arrived on the spot?

Mr. HARCOURT

I have no official information beyond what has been published in the Blue Book.

17. Mr. KEIR HARDIE

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the. date on which a handbill was issued calling upon the miners who were on strike on the Rand to come to a meeting fully armed to meet force by force; whether it applied to the meeting arranged to take place at Benoni on 28th June; whether it was issued after that meeting had been proclaimed; whether any similar handbill was issued for the Johannesburg meeting of 4th July; and, if not, will he contradict the statement that it was in consequence of this handbill that troops were employed to disperse the meeting?

Mr. HARCOURT

I have no later information than what is given in Lord Gladstone's telegram published at page 17 of Cd. 6941 and the Statement at page 5 of Cd. 6942. All these questions will, I presume, be investigated by the recently appointed Judicial Commission.

Mr. KEIR HARDIE

As this handbill was issued before the meeting on 28th June, and as the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition justified the use of the troops of 4th July on the assumption that this handbill had been issued for that meeting, will the right hon. Gentleman see to it that that misapprehension is removed?

Mr. HARCOURT

I do not think I laboured under any misapprehension, as in my speech on the Colonial Office Vote I said that the handbill, whatever its date, was an indication of the circumstances with which the local Government had to deal.