§ Mr. O'GRADYasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many irregular cemeteries exist for the burial of natives employed in the mines in the Germiston municipality, in the Colony of the Transvaal; whether he was aware that natives axe indiscriminately interred in the numerous scattered loci to suit the convenience of the mines, that the bodies are superficially disposed of in the huge mine dumps close to residences, and that the bodies have no mark of identification and are often not enclosed; whether he was aware that, in view of the danger to public health arising from this method of burial, protests had been lodged by the police surgeons of the neighbourhood; and, if so, would representations be made to the Government of the Transvaal to end such a state of things?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Colonel Seely)This being entirely a matter for the Transvaal Government it would be both unusual and undesirable to take the action proposed by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. O'GRADYMay I ask whether it is not a matter for the people in the locality, and a matter for intervention by the Secretary of State?
§ Colonel SEELYNo, Sir. It is a self-governing Colony which governs itself in these matters.
§ Mr. O'GRADYHas this disgraceful state of affairs been brought to the notice of the Colonial Office before?
§ Colonel SEELYNo, Sir. I am not prepared to admit that the facts as stated in the question are accurate. I have no knowledge of it and I do not know whether it is a fact or not.