§ MR. MARKHAMI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, seeing under the special laws to protect the Kimberley mines against theft of diamonds, detectives are permitted to offer diamonds for sale to persons whom they suspect of illicit diamond buying, and that convictions have resulted from such action, he will say on whose representation this law has been introduced into the Transvaal Legislative Council, in view of the public feeling in South Africa against this special law enjoyed by the De Beers Company.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe draft ordinance to regulate trading in diamonds is being introduced by the Government. I have not received any correspondence on the subject.