§ MR. BLACK (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the fact that the inhabitants of the Transvaal and Orange River Colonies have hitherto lived under a written constitution, whether it is proposed that His Majesty, under the advice of His High Court of Parliament, should promulgate a constitution for each of those colonies, defining the fundamental rights of His Majesty's subjects in these territories as regards life, civil and religious liberty, and property, and defining the functions delegated to the governors and legislative councils, or whether on the other hand it is proposed to leave all these fundamental matters in the discretion of the governors under the advice of the councils.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN, Birmingham, W.)The constitutions of the two recently-annexed colonies will be defined by Letters Patent under the Great Seal, which will be duly promulgated by proclamation in each colony.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINNot before they are promulgated.