§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL (Kirkcaldy, ifec.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the High Commissioner for South Africa, and Mr. Hoffmeyer, Member of the Cape Parliament, acting under his instructions, have power to conclude a Convention with the Transvaal State, regarding Swaziland and several other matters, without further reference; whether the Agreement so made, and ratified by the Transvaal Volksraad, is finally concluded, or is still subject to ratification in this country; whether, having regard to the instructions of the Secretary of State that "there should be no undue restriction of British trade and enterprise," Her Majesty's Government propose to insist on the stipulations made by Mr. Hoffmeyer that the concessions to the Transvaal should only come into force on condition that the Transvaal enters the Protective Customs Union, of which the Cape Colony is the leading member, and abandons the lightly taxed commercial intercourse now existing between Natal and the Transvaal; and whether there is any provision for a Tribunal to settle disputes in Swaziland between Europeans and Natives or between Europeans and the Native Government; and, if so, whether Natives are to be represented on that Tribunal, or is it to consist of Europeans or White Africanders only?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Baron H. de WORMS, Liverpool, East Toxteth)The Convention referred to, of which the text has not yet been received, was made under the instructions of, and is subject to ratification by, the Government of this country. The third paragraph of the question is not fully understood, and is argumentative; and I can only refer the hon. Member to what I stated in this House, on the 4th instant, in reply to the junior Member for Northampton. As regards the fourth paragraph, it is impossible to state the provisions of the Convention precisely as far as they affect the administration of justice; but it is not believed that any Swazi native is competent to fill a judicial post in Swaziland.