HC Deb 12 August 1907 vol 180 cc793-4
MR. HAROLD COX

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the draft of a Bill, published in the Gazette of the Transvaal Government, which would deprive Natives of the Transvaal of the right of access to the Courts of law in certain cases, and render them dependent in such cases upon the arbitrary will of the Transvaal Ministry; and what action His Majesty's Government proposes to take.

SIR GILBERT PARKER

At the same time may I ask the Under-Secretary, of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the proposed legislation in the Transvaal Legislature which is intended to abolish access of Natives to the Law Courts in the case of certain decisions of the Governor in Council, and to establish the right to depose, remove, and intern chiefs and headmen, and to transfer tribes and individuals from one district to another upon such conditions as the Governor may determine; and whether these conditions are in keeping with the principles embodied in the Transvaal Constitution for the protection of Native rights as to reserves, habitation, and the paternal care of this Government.

MR. CHURCHILL

I would refer the hon. Member and the hon. Member for Gravesend to the Answer to Questions on this subject on Thursday the 8th instant.† The Secretary of State does not think that any opinion as to the Bill can be usefully expressed till he is in possession of its detailed provisions and of the reasons for which it has been introduced.

Mr. MYER (Lambeth, N.)

Is there any reason why all human beings in our Colonies should not be equal before the law?

MR. CHURCHILL

That is rather an extensive programme to be dealt with by way of question and answer.

SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government have now received from the Transvaal any I reply to their telegraphic inquiry as to the Bill published in an extraordinary Government Gazette of Saturday, 3rd August, abolishing the access of Natives to the Courts of Law in respect of decisions administratively taken by which individual natives or whole tribes can be transferred against their will from one district to another.

MR. CHURCHILL

The Secretary of State is still awaiting the answer to his inquiry.