§ Mr. LAFONE (Southwark, Bermondsey)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, having regard to the fact that code messages can be sent to South Africa via Delagoa Bay, whether it will now be possible to allow mercantile messages to be sent in code to Natal, the code employed being previously submitted and sanctioned by the competent authorities.
Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS (for; Mr. WYNDHAM)The question of relaxing the existing regulations in Cape Colony and Natal, which have been in force since November, 1899, is engaging the attention of the Government and of the civil and military authorities in those colonies, and it is hoped that an announcement may shortly be made on the subject.