§ 78. Mr. THURTLEasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he can give any information as to the legislation proposed by the Government of Southern Rhodesia with a view to suppressing seditious tracts and publications and to prohibit the assembling together of natives for religious purposes unless they belong to some denomination recognised by the Government?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. Malcolm MacDonald)I presume that the hon. Member refers to two Southern Rhodesia Bills, of which I have received copies. One of these is entitled:
A Bill to suppress seditious utterances, newspapers, books, pictures and gramophone records";and the other:A Bill to provide for the control of fanatical and ostensibly religious movements among natives by the issue of certificates to native preachers and teachers.I am informed that the main object of the former Bill is to prevent the dissemination of publications calculated to stir up racial strife. The latter Bill prohibits any native from holding religious services and giving religious instruction unless he has been granted a certificate of authorisation by the head of his mission, if he belongs to a recognised religious denomination, or, if he does not belong to such a denomination, by the Chief Native Commissioner.
§ Mr. THURTLEWill the right hon. Gentleman look into the matter and see if it is not undesirable, from the point of view of liberty, that the second Bill should be proceeded with? Has he 1060 received any protest from the Liberation Society?
§ Mr. MacDONALDI am not aware of any protest from the Liberation Society. On the first question, I am to answer another hon. Member a little later on.
§ Mr. PALINGIf any industrial trouble should arise—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise on this question.
§ 80. Mr. PALINGasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether the Southern Rhodesia Native Preachers Bill has been submitted to him in draft form; and whether he has any observations to make about the Bill?
§ Mr. MacDONALDThis Bill was referred in draft form to my predecessor, who replied that he had no observations to offer on it. I may say that the Bill is based upon a similar provision in the Native Schools Ordinance of Northern Rhodesia.
§ Mr. PALINGHave the natives any right to approach the right hon. Gentleman before the Bills are submitted to the House of Representatives in Southern Rhodesia?
§ Mr. MacDONALDI am ready to listen to any representations made to me through the proper channels.
§ Mr. GRAHAM WHITEDoes not this come within the category of reserved legislation, and will it not have to come back for approval if it passes the Southern Rhodesian Legislature?
§ Mr. MacDONALDIt comes within the category of reserved legislation. We had better wait and see what happens in the Rhodesian Parliament before considering the matter again.
Mr. DAVIDSONAre there any means whereby the natives can make representations to the Secretary of State?
§ Mr. MacDONALDIt is always open to the Governor to send representations on to me.
§ 81 and 82. Mr. PALINGasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (1) whether any enactments of the Southern Rhodesia Parliament contain provision for compulsory vaccination and registration of the finger prints of natives: 1061 (2) whether the principle of the pass system, as contained in the Southern Rhodesia Native Registration Bill, is embodied in any enactment passed by the Southern Rhodesia Parliament?
§ Mr. MacDONALDProvision for compulsory vaccination and for registration of finger prints in the case of natives seeking employment in certain townships is to be found in Southern Rhodesia Ordinance No, 5 of 1918. The requirement, which is contained in the Southern Rhodesia Natives Registration Bill, that natives visiting, or seeking employment in, towns must obtain passes, is taken from Southern Rhodesia Ordinance No. 16 of 1901.
§ Mr. PALINGIs it not a fact that the Bill enlarges tremendously the scope of registration of finger prints and compulsory vaccination and the pass system, and is it not a hardship on the natives that they have to apply every seven or 14 days and waste a day every time they apply?
§ Mr. MacDONALDAs I said previously, the present legislation in prin-
| Sheep Scab. | |||||||||
| Outbreaks in North Wales. | |||||||||
| Year. | Month. | Anglesey. | Caernarvon. | Denbigh. | Flint. | Merioneth. | Montgomery. | ||
| 1935 | … | November | … | 2 | 9 | 9 | — | 1 | 4 |
| December | … | — | 5 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 3 | ||
| 1936 | … | January | … | 2 | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| February | … | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 |