MR. HERBERTI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, having regard to the fact that His Majesty's Government have not yet been able to obtain from the Government of Natal it definite answer to the question whether, according to the law of Natal, a prisoner charged with treason or murder can be kept in gaol indefinitely without a definite charge being preferred against him specifying the overt acts of treason and the name of the person alleged to have been murdered, and having regard to the fact that the law of Natal is alleged by the Government of Natal to be the same in this respect as the law of Cape Colony, His Majesty's Government will at once obtain the opinion of the Attorney-General of Cape Colony upon the point.
§ COLONEL SEELYI cannot add anything to the information already given; the Natal Attorney-General states that the preliminary examination is being conducted without avoidable delay. I am sure the House will appreciate that the Secretary of State could not undertake to consult the Attorney-General of one responsibly governed Colony with regard to the proceedings of the authorities in another.
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)Is it not the case that by means of this, a so-called preliminary investigation has lasted eleven months without a charge being formulated?
§ COLONEL SEELYI have said there has been a regrettable delay.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWas not this particular prisoner arrested under a general warrant?
§ COLONEL SEELYA general warrant in a technical sense, but not really so.