§ MR. ALEXANDER M'ARTHUR (Leicester)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the sentence of imprisonment with hard labour, reported to have been passed by the Special Court, now sitting at Ekshowe in Zululand, on Somkeli and other Zulu chiefs charged with rebellion, is now being enforced; whether the Government has been informed as to the action taken by the Court in the case of Ndabuko, who is reported to have reserved his defence on the plea that he had not been able to obtain legal assistance; whether the proposed trial of Dinizulu at Ekshowe will be proceeded with after the leave to appeal against the proceedings of that Court which has been granted by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council; and whether the course to be taken by the authorities in Natal as regards the other Zulu chiefs will be guided by the precedent established in the case of Dinizulu?
§ BARON HENRY DE WORMSIn answer to the first paragraph of the hon. Member's Question, I have to say that the sentence is not now being 259 enforced. These chiefs will be detained, as they were before trial, pending the consideration by Her Majesty's Government of the proceedings in each case. The report of Ndabuko's case has not yet been received by Her Majesty's Government. It is understood that the trial of Dinizulu will be proceeded with. He has not appealed against the proceedings of the Court before which he is to be tried. These proceedings have not commenced as far as we know. His appeal was against a judgment of the Supreme Court of Natal, upholding a warrant signed by the Governor, for the removal of Dinizulu into Zululand from Natal. This warrant purported to be issued under a colonial law, and the applicability of that law is the question in dispute. The Secretary of State is advised that the result of the appeal to the Judicial Committee would in no way affect the competence of the Special Commission to deal with the case, or the validity of its proceedings therein. I do not quite understand the meaning of the last paragraph of the Question; but, as Dinizulu will be tried last, his case cannot form a precedent for the cases of the other chiefs.