§ Mr. WEDGWOODasked whether the Dutch (South African) Reformed Churches Union Bill contains a clause whereby coloured persons are specifically excluded from the United Church; and, if so, whether the signature of the Crown is to be given to this provision?
Mr. HARCOURTThe Bill contains the following clause:—"No coloured person, being a member of the Dutch reformed Church of the Colony or Province of the Cape of Good Hope, shall be entitled, by reason of such membership or of the passing of this Actor of the Union brought about thereby, to claim membership of the United Church in the event of his finding himself, or of his being or becoming resident, in any of the adjacent Provinces and so long as he shall remain without the boundaries of the Province of the Cape of Good Hope; but his status as regards such membership in the adjacent Provinces shall be the same as, and be regulated and determined by, the status of coloured persons as regards such membership in such of the other Provinces within the Union1104W as he shall find himself or be or become resident in." I am not aware whether the Bill has been actually passed and assented to, but I am not proposing to instruct the Governor-General specially to reserve the Bill.