HC Deb 20 March 1946 vol 420 cc1850-1
27. Mr. Pickthorn

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, under what pro vision of the Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1890, it is proposed to vest in the Crown all lands in the Malay States not in private possession and to issue titles to such lands as Crown grants; whether the explanatory note supplied to Sir Harold MacMichael referred to this proposal; when it was communicated to the rulers of the Malay States; and whether it is contained in the treaties recently concluded with these rulers.

Mr. Creech Jones

I assume that the hon. Member refers to the proposed transfer of assets described in paragraph 12(a) of Command Paper No. 6749 as qualified by the exceptions noted in paragraph 12(d) of that Paper. The answer to the first part of the Question is that the necessary powers are conferred by Section I of the Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1890. As regards the remainder of the Question, I would invite the hon. Member's attention to Sir Harold MacMichael's report recently published as Colonial Paper No. 194. As stated in paragraph 10 of Appendix I to the Report the explanatory note handed to each Ruler contained a clear statement of His Majesty's. Government's intention in this regard. That note was given to each Ruler, after a full verbal explanation of its contents, at interviews which took place on various dates between the 18th of October (Johore) and the 21st of December (Trengganu). It was not necessary for the treaties with the Rulers (the texts of which are contained in Appendix II to the Report) to deal specifically with this matter.