§ MR. LEVY (Leicestershire, Loughborough)I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any official information showing that, as a result of State-aided repatriation of Chinese coolies, the West Rand and West Rand Consolidated Mines are to be closed; and whether, in drafting the new Constitutions for the 962 Transvaal and Orange River Colony, he will consider the desirability of empowering the Governments of the Colonies to become possessed of these and other mines.
§ * THE UNDER - SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Manchester, N.W.(1) I have no official information. The Transvaal Legislature will be quite competent to deal with any question of the State ownership and administration of gold mines which may arise after the grant of responsible Government. (2) I should add that it is not usually the practice of persons possessing gold mines to cease to work them while there is any profit to be made out of them. It is not proposed to introduce any special provision in the Constitution with this object.