§ Sir R. HAMILTON (by Private Notice)asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Measures recently passed into law for the taxation of trade and places of business in Tanganyika also require Indian and Arab traders to keep their books in English; whether such traders are entitled to use their own languages in the mandated territory for the purposes of keeping accounts: whether places of business have been closed in consequence of the law: and whether, in view of the depressed state of trade and of the obligations on the Government of His Britannic Majesty as mandatory, instructions can be cabled to the Governor to suspend the operation of the said Measures pending the receipt by the Secretary of State of his despatch?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI must refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I have given to-day to my hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Sir T. Bennett).
§ Sir R. HAMILTONAre we to understand that the law as to the keeping of the accounts in English will refer to all the natives of the different countries—French, Italian, English, and so on?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThey can all keep their accounts in their own language—in whatever language they like; but when the assessor comes he may require the accounts to he presented to him translated into English or Swaheli. That is very largely done. There are, however, so many languages spoken in the country, and the cost of administration is so great, that it is absolutely impracticable for every printed thing to be in every language.
§ Mr. HANNONOn a point of Order. May I ask why this question was not put on the paper: where is its urgency?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member who has just put it told me that he had a question to put in connection with the immediate visit of the Governor, and I allowed him to put it.