§ MR. BELLOC (Salford, S.)To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the 50 Colonies whether his attention has been called to the threat of Mr. Albu of closing certain gold mines in the Transvaal as a means of coercing the Government; and whether, in case of such a threat being carried into effect, the Government proposes to exercise its right to take over the mines?
(Answered by Mr. Churchill.) I have seen a newspaper report of a speech by Mr. Albu, in which he said that certain gold mines might have to be closed down if a large number of Chinamen applied for repatriation. With regard to the right of Government to take over the mines I do not think that Government has any such power for the following reasons:—Article 140 of the Gold Law, passed by the legislature of the late South African Republic with a view to war, and printed at page 58 of Cd. 43, to which I presume the hon. Member refers, has not been repealed. The power to compel a mineowner to work his mine could not be enforced, as I am advised, without further legislation, which is not contemplated. In any case the only mines which the Transvaal Government could in any circumstances work without a heavy loss, would be the richest mines and those which are fully developed. There seems to be very little likelihood of such mines becoming derelict at a period when the gold output is greater than has ever before been known.