§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will say what is the distinction, having regard to the official announcement that the King does not disallow the Chinese Labour Importation Ordinance, between the expressions "does not disallow" and the usual expressions "allows" or "sanctions"; whether, having regard to the negative expression indicating that the King does not allow the Ordinance, the Crown still retains the power within a limited time of disallowing the Ordinance; and whether, if such power be exercised, the Ordinance in accordance with the Rules and Regulations printed by the Colonial Office ceases to become operative from the date at which such disallowance is published in the colony.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton.) The expression that His Majesty will not be advised to disallow an Ordinance, follows the terms of the section in the Ordinance, is in the usual form, and has the same meaning as the expressions allowance or sanction. The hon. Member has already been informed by the First Lord of the Treasury, in reply to a Question on the 16th instant†, that there is no precedent for the Crown, having announced that it does not raise any objection to an Ordinance, reversing that decision.