HC Deb 29 April 1935 vol 301 cc113-4

Subject to any express provision of this Act, no person who is not a British subject shall be eligible to hold any office under the Crown in Burma.

Provided that the Governor, exercising his individual judgment, may authorise the temporary employment for any purpose of a person who is not a British subject.—[Mr. Ormsby-Gore.]

Brought up, and read the First time.

7.25 p.m.

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time."

This is a consequential Clause to the Clause that I moved in regard to India about an hour ago. The reason why the Clause is so much shorter than the Clause in regard to India is because Burma has not Federal States and State subjects in territories adjacent.

Mr. H. WILLIAMS

I prefer this form to the one with respect to India, and I hope that between now and the Report stage the Government will consider that this form is the better one. I am glad that in connection with this Clause we do not have references to the Siamese and the Tibetans.

Sir R. CRADDOCK

It is not correct to say that we have not Gurkhas in Burma; we have them in the military police and they come and live on the Borders. There are plenty of them, and I am not sure than some such Clause as we have in regard to India is not required in regard to Burma.

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

We will look into the matter between now and the Report stage, and if it is desirable to add "adjacent territories," as in the Indian Clause, we will make the addition to this Clause, in order to enable Gurkhas to be employed in Burma.

Lord EUSTACE PERCY

What about the people of the Shan States? Are they British subjects?

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

I do not quite know whose subjects they are.

Mr. MORGAN JONES

May I ask for a little guidance? We have had a manuscript copy of a proposed new Amendment which I understood the Government were going to move. How do the Government get over their difficulty? If they suggest that the Clause as it now stands is not adequate, then surely they cannot be satisfied with it as it is.

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

The point raised by the hon. Member for the English Universities (Sir R. Craddock) is dealt with by a draft Amendment; that draft Amendment will be put down on the Report stage. It is not put down at this stage or moved in manuscript form in deference to the desire of the Chair not to complicate discussion on the Committee stage by moving manuscript Amendments.

7.29 p.m.

Mr. H. WILLIAMS

In the Indian Clause the first two paragraphs related to the eligibility of persons to hold any civil office under the Crown. Paragraph (3) related to "any office." in this Clause the provision is general; it refers to any office. Therefore, it may relate to employment in the Army. I did not realise when we were discussing the Indian Clause that temporary employment may be temporary employment in the armed forces. I want to be clear that this is an authorisation by the Governor to employ foreigners in the armed forces of the Crown in a temporary capacity. Is that the intention?

Mr. ORMSBY-GORE

Nepalese are technically foreigners. If the Governor thinks it desirable to be able to employ them, he can do so.

Clause added to the Bill.