§ MR. BYLESI beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether now that some rebel chiefs have been killed while others have surrendered, and the native levies has been disbanded, there will be an immediate termination of the state of martial law in Natal.
§ MR. CHURCHILLIt is a matter for the Natal Ministers to decide how soon the state of martial law in that Colony may be terminated.
§ MR. BYLESasked whether His Majesty's Government would request the Government of Natal to abolish martial law at least in those provinces where they did not consider military operations necessary.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe inconvenience resulting from martial law in Natal falls wholly on the people of that Colony, and I cannot conceive that they would be willing to subject themselves to its onerous provisions a day longer than public safety demands.
§ MR. BYLESI am not quite satisfied yet. Do the Government not consider that our responsibility to the native population imposes on us the duty of protecting them from the illegal tribunal under martial law?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThat is rather an argumentative Question.