§ 50. Mr. Peter M. Jacksonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will instruct the new British Ambassador to South Africa to make further representations to the Union Government on behalf of Mr. Philip Golding.
§ Mr. LuardRepresentations have been made on behalf of Mr. Golding by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to Dr. Muller on two occasions. The South African authorities have now said that Mr. Golding will be released after giving evidence at the trial which is taking place in Pretoria.
§ Mr. JacksonWhile thanking my hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask, nevertheless, whether he has had his attention drawn to the statement by Chief Justice Bekker on 1st December, that Mr. Golding would be released if his evidence were satisfactory? In other words, this young man is placed in an impossible position. If he gives evidence for the Crown he will be released. He is therefore intimidated. My second question to my hon. Friend is to ask him whether, in view of the comments recently made by Sir John Nicholls, our retiring Ambassador, he is entirely satisfied on the nature of the representations which have come from the Embassy?
§ Mr. LuardMy attention has not been drawn to the first point which my hon. Friend referred to, and I will certainly look into it. As to his second point, we have had no evidence that there is any dissatisfaction with the representations which have been made on behalf of Mr. Golding.