§ MR. G. GREENWOODI beg to ask the Prime Minister whether his attention has 1084 been called to a petition recently presented to the House of Commons by the Zulu chief, Tilonko, who is now undergoing a term of ten years imprisonment with hard labour in St. Helena, under sentence of a court martial passed upon him in Natal on 17th August, 1906, more than a month after the passing, by both Houses of the Colonial Legislature, of the Natal Indemnity Act of that year, but before such Act had received the Royal assent; and whether in view of the fact that under the provisions of that Act no appeal is allowed from the sentence of any court martial held in Natal previously to the passing thereof, and that Tilonko is thereby debarred from all legal remedy by way of appeal either to the Privy Council or to the Supreme Court of Natal, he will consider the desirability of advising the Crown to exercise the prerogative of mercy in this case.
§ COLONEL SEELYThe Prime Minister has asked me to reply to this Question. I have seen the petition referred to. A similar petition was recently presented to His Majesty, and on the advice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies was referred to the Governor of Natal for such action, if any, as he may be advised to take. No further action in the matter is at present possible.
§ MR. G. GREENWOODIs not the Government prepared to consider all the facts with a view to advising the exercise of the prerogative of mercy?
§ COLONEL SEELYI have said that no action is at present possible.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)asked was it not the fact that the exercise of the prerogative would be on the advice of the Natal Government, under whose system of martial law this chief was condemned to a long term of imprisonment.
§ MR. BYLES (Salford, N.)asked if the Prime Minister would give his personal attention to the matter, as many persons believed the man to have been illegally convicted.
§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. ASQUITH,) Fifeshire, E.said he would be happy to do 1085 so, but he could not hold out any expectation that the result would be other than that referred to in the answer giv by his hon. and gallant friend.