§ 57. Mr. PALINGasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he will recommend the refusal of the Royal Assent to the Southern Rhodesia Natives Registration Act, in view of the fact that a native entering a township without a pass, certificate, or permit will now be guilty of an offence under the Act and before being employed or granted a certificate of service in such township must submit to a medical examination, compulsory vaccination, and have his fingerprints taken?
Mr. M. MacDONALDNo, Sir. The provision which the Act makes in regard 251 to these points is not in substance new but a re-enactment of the legislation which the Act replaces. As regards medical examination, compulsory vaccination and the taking of finger-prints, the provision in the Act is that the Governor may make regulations for these in the case of townships. It is also provided in the Act that any native or class of natives may, at the discretion of the Minister of Native Affairs, be exempted from its operation or any part thereof.
§ Mr. PALINGIs it the Government's policy that natives should have all these disabilities imposed upon them before they can walk about in their own country?
§ Mr. PALINGIt is the effect of the provision in the Bill, is it not? Is it not a fact also that a lot of these disabilities which are being imposed, though they may have been in previous regulations, have not been enforced because it was felt to be impossible to carry them out?
Mr. MacDONALDThese provisions have been contained in regulations in the past, and have been put into practice.
§ Mr. PALINGIs it the Government's policy to support that kind of thing?