§ MR. DUNCOMBEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether it is a fact that the Government of the Transvaal Republic lay claim to the property of miners and other persons who may die in the Transvaal; and, whether his attention has been called to the fact that, in more than one instance, surviving relatives have been unable to obtain property for the abovementioned reason; and, if so, whether he can take any steps to remedy this injustice?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.The Government of the South African Republic does not lay claim to the property of miners and other persons who may die in that country. I am aware that friends of deceased persons have in some cases been led into the mistake of supposing that such a claim is made. This is due to the fact that, according to the law of the Republic, a public official takes charge of the property of a deceased person until an executor is appointed, whose duty it is to administer the estate and hand over the balance to the parties entitled to it by law.