§ MR. BLACK (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is yet in a position to furnish the House with particulars as to the constitution of the Legislative Councils of the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies, the powers to be conferred and the restrictions to be imposed upon these bodies, and the official who is to preside over each; if he is not yet in a position to make a statement on the subject will the Government, before issue of the Royal Letters Patent, inform the House upon these particulars and afford opportunities for discussion thereon, and will he give approximately the date fixed for Lord Milner's return to South Africa and for the issue of the Royal Letters Patent relating to the constitution of the Colonies.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe House is already in possession of the general outline given by me in debate on 7th December, * and I have explained to the hon. Member in answer to a question on 6th May† that it would not be in accordance with precedent to submit the instruments themselves to Parliament before they are issued. Lord Milner will probably return in August. I am unable at present to fix a date for the issue of the Letters Patent.
§ MR. BLACKIs it according to the right hon. Gentleman's view of the Constitution that these questions should be excluded from Parliament, or is it only his policy which is unfitted for Parliamentary discussion?