§ Powers of the Parliament.
§ Clause 46 (Legislative authority of Parliament) agreed to.
§ MR. E. JENKINSrose and said this was a most important clause, which, in reference to the interests of the Natives, ought to be well considered.
§ Some discussion followed, in which Mr. W. E. FORSTER and Mr. GORST took part, urging that great care should be taken in dealing with the question to which the clause referred.
§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLconcurred that the question was one of great importance, and urged that the Government should reconsider the matter. Land tenure in some of the provinces in South Africa was so bad that it absolutely prevented the Natives from holding lands.
§ MR. WHITWELLhoped, in reference to the importance of the clause and the great interests which were involved in the question, that the Government would reconsider it.
§ MR. J. LOWTHERintimated that the law of the Colonies was Roman-Dutch, and that the case of those Colonies was very different from that of New Zealand. The Government would, however, consider the question.
§ Clause agreed to.
303§ Exclusive Powers of Provincial Councils.
§ Clause 47 (Subject of exclusive provincial legislation).
§ MR. COURTNEYurged that this was a most important clause, and that it was desirable, relating as it did to marriage and the law of evidence relating to the marriage law in the Colonies, that it should be settled by the Confederate Parliament. In his opinion there ought to be one uniform law for the whole of the Colonies.
§ MR. E. JENKINSsupported the views of the hon. Member for Liskeard.
§ MR. J. LOWTHERadmitted the importance of the question, and was understood to say that the Government would consider it.
§ Clause agreed to.
§ Clause 48 (Concurrent powers of legislation respecting immigration); Clause 49 (Appropriation, &c, of provincial revenue); Clause 50 (Distribution of powers may be varied); and Clause 51 (Allowance or disallowance of provincial laws), severally agreed to.