24. Mrs. Whiteasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what period the Kenya Penal Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 1952, is in force, which enables a court to prohibit a person convicted of receiving, conveying or possessing stolen property from pursuing a trade or business, for a named period or permanently, if the offence was committed in the course of such trade or business.
§ Mr. LytteltonThere is no time limit to the operation of this Ordinance.
Mrs. WhiteWould the right hon. Gentleman not agree that to make this kind of Ordinance a permanent change in the penal code is not really in keeping with the undertaking he gave to the House that controversial legislation should be of only one year's duration and would then lapse? Would he, therefore, 1547 assure us that this particular Ordinance will be revoked when the other emergency ordinances come to an end?
§ Mr. LytteltonNo, Sir, I cannot give that assurance, because this is not a controversial piece of legislation.
§ Mr. LytteltonNo objections to the Ordinance were made when it was considered by the Legislative Council, and the African representative member spoke in support. Moreover, it happens to be modelled upon a section of the United Kingdom Goods and Services (Price Control) Act, 1941, which imposes similar penalties for offences committed under the Act.