§ COMMANDER BETHELL (York, E.R., Holderness)asked the Secretary of State 1646 for the Colonies, Whether he is aware that the Colonial Secretary for Natal is recently reported to have said, in the Legislative Council of that Colony, that
It had always been understood that the annexation of Zululand would give the Colony an opportunity of getting rid of a large number of Natives;if, in that observation, which appears to have been made in reply to a Motion favourable to the policy of transferring Natives from Natal to Zululand, the Colonial Secretary was rightly interpreting the intentions of the Imperial Government; and if Her Majesty's Government will take care that no regular transference of Natives be allowed to take place, except with the complete and unquestioned assent of the Zulus inhabiting the part of the country to which it may be proposed to move them?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir HENRY HOLLAND) (Hampstead)My attention has not been drawn to the report in question; but it has, undoubtedly, been for some time contemplated that a portion of the Native inhabitants of Natal, who came into the Colony from Zululand, during the troubles in that country and who are now overcrowded would seek to return, and might be accommodated in Zululand. The great necessity, however, of preserving peace and good order in Zululand, will render Her Majesty's Government specially careful not to sanction any scheme of transfer of Natal Natives to Zululand unless there is ample room for them. Any such scheme of transfer would have to be submitted to, and approved by, the Governor of Zululand before it could be carried into effect.