§ Mr. CHARLES BUXTON (by Private Notice)asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affaire whether he can now make a statement with regard to the Southern Rhodesia Land Apportionment Act?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. Lunn)The object of the Southern Rhodesia legislation referred to and the legal difficulties which arose in bringing it into effect were stated in the reply which I gave on 22nd January to my right hon. and gallant Friend the Member for New-castle-under-Lyme (Colonel Wedgwood). The provisions of the Act in question involve an amendment of Section 43 of the Southern Rhodesia Constitution Letters Patent, 1923. It was originally contemplated that if the Act were passed, and if it should be His Majesty's pleasure not to disallow it, His Majesty the King in Council should them be moved to make the requisite amendment of the Letters Patent. The Secretary of State was, however, subsequently advised that amendment of the Letters Patent ought properly to be effected before the passing of the Act, which is void under Section 26 of the Letters Patent, and cannot be validated restrospectively. It is, therefore, now proposed to adopt the following procedure. My Noble Friend is 1914 taking steps to secure amendment of the Letters Patent. As soon as these have been amended, the Land Apportionment Act will be re-submitted to the Legislative Assembly of Southern Rhodesie, and, if passed will be brought into operation by Proclamation, as soon as the Governor has been notified that it is His Majesty's pleasure not to disallow it.