§ EARL PERCY (Kensington, S.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to a speech delivered by General Smuts to Het Volk on March 23rd, and containing the statement that it would be the work of Het Volk to try its utmost for the Boer ex-civil servants now out of billets, and that men who had sacrificed everything for their country and who today had nothing for their sacrifices must be put back in their old positions; and, whether His Majesty's Government intend that the grant of representative government to the Transvaal shall be accompanied by guarantees for the lights and interests of the British civil servants employed under the existing administration.
§ THE UNDER - SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Manchester, N.W.I have read the speech of March 23rd referred to. I cannot add anything at present to my reply of May 7th to a similar Question,† For his convenience I shall be glad to send my noble friend a copy of the Answer to which I have referred.