§ MR. ADDERLEYbegged to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether a petition had been received at the Colonial Office from Inhabitants of the Cape to Her Majesty, praying Her to refuse Her assent to Ordinances passed by the reconstructed Legislative Council previously to proceeding with their new Constitution; also, whether he will lay copies of all such ordinances immediately before this House? He also wished to know whether a petition had been received, praying Her Majesty to expedite the construction of the Constitution, and to refuse Her sanction to any alteration, on the part of the Legislative Council, in the constitutional Ordinances; and whether there would be any objection to produce such Ordinances, together with any resolutions for altering them which might have been passed.
§ MR. F. PEELreplied, that a petition signed by two persons had been received, praying Her Majesty not to sanction any Ordinances, except such as were necessary to carry out the constitution. There would be no objection to lay copies of the Ordi- 160 nances on the table. The other petition to which the hon. Member referred was included in the papers on the table.
§ MR. ROEBUCKasked whether the two persons who had signed the petition were not the chairman and secretary of a public meeting?
§ MR. F. PEELsaid, he knew one was chairman of Cape Town Assembly, and the other a commissioner of Cape Town; but he was not aware whether they signed on behalf of any public bodies.