28. Mr. CREECH JONESasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, for the better information of Parliament as to the policy of His Majesty's Government in respect to colonial legislation, particularly that affecting native peoples, proposed Orders in Council and local ordinances may be available for study and objection by Parliament before such Orders or ordinances are finally embodied in law?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREWith regard to Orders in Council, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for the Isle of Ely (Mr. de Rothschild) on 16th March, of which I am sending him a copy. With regard to local ordinances enacted by colonial legislatures, I do not think that the procedure suggested by the hon. Member would be practicable even if it were in accordance with long constitutional usage. In the year 1935 over 1,400 ordinances were enacted in the Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories.
Mr. CREECH JONESIn view of the responsibility of the home Government in respect of native legislation is there no way whereby Parliament can be informed of the law that is contemplated before it is actually made?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe process of enacting these ordnances provides for their being drafted for presentation to the local legislature by the Attorney-General and they come home for my sanction, and, subject to my approval, are immediately enacted. It would hold up the whole legislative machine of the Colonial Empire if they had to be submitted to this House and discussed before they were passed into law. If the hon. Member wants to do that, he will have 1751 to put down my salary and criticise me about it.