§ MR. ALDEN (Middlesex, Tottenham)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the increase in the South African preferential tariff from two and a half to three percent, was adopted in the Legislative Council of the Transvaal by a majority consisting solely of the official members, 1049 and against the unanimous vote of the elected members; has the Colonial Office any control over these official members; will it support the views and wishes of the people of the Transvaal, as represented by their elected members, and advise His Majesty to disallow the vote; can this increased tariff take effect without the concurrences of the Orange River Colony; if not, has that Colony given its assent, and in what form and by whose authority; and is the Colonial Office in any sense responsible.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe new Customs Convention must be ratified by the legislature of the Transvaal and Orange River Colony independently. The Secretary of state understands that it has been so ratified, but has received no detailed report of the proceedings. In view of the impending constitutional changes which will enable what has been done to be reconsidered by elected representatives, the Secretary of state as at present advised does not think it necessary to go further into the question.