§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with reference to his Dispatch of 21st August 1896; to the Governor of Western Australia, inviting information with a view to ascertaining the general feeling of the House of Commons as to the proposal to abolish the Aborigines Protection Board, and to other correspondence on the subject published in Parliamentary Paper [C. 8350]; whether it is the intention of Majesty's Government to introduce, in the present Session of Parliament, a Measure for amendment of the Western Australian Constitution Act as regards the Aborigines Protection Board; and whether he will inform the House as to any steps that may have been taken in respect of the contemplated change?
MR. CHAMBERLAINIt is not proposed to introduce any Measure to this House respecting the Aborigines Protection Beard of Western Australia, fur the power of legislation on the subject rests with the Colonial Parliament. That Parliament has already passed, and the Governor has reserved, a Measure repealing Sect it in 70 of the Constitution which is the section relating to the hoard, and after protracted discussion and correspondence I have promised to advise Hen Majesty in Council to assent to this Bill; the colony on its side agreeing, as I stated the other day, to create a special Government department to look after the interests of the natives.