§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether Her Majesty's Ministers, in advising Her to grant to Mr. Beit, with others, a charter with large powers of administration over a portion of the British Empire, were aware of his then being a German subject; whether there is any precedent for such devolution of sovereign powers to any alien by Her Majesty; and whether Mr. Beit has since then become a naturalised British subject; and whether, if not, in view of recent events, Her Majesty's Government will consider the expediency of advising the Chartered Company of South Africa to procure his resignation as a director of that Company?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. I am unable to answer the second part of the Question; but, of course many aliens have been employed in offices of trust by Her Majesty and her predecessors. Mr. Beit has not been naturalised as a British subject, but there is no necessity to take the course suggested in the concluding part of the Question, as Mr. Beit has already voluntarily tendered his resignation to his colleagues. ["Hear, hear!"]
§ MR. BAYLEYasked whether Mr. Beit's resignation had been accepted?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI have no information upon the point.