Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, in view of the declaration of the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa that he had received a letter bearing out his view that His Majesty's Government feels that the request for the transfer of the South African protectorates should be given effect to within a reasonable time, he will make a statement on the correspondence referred to and the terms of transfer; and what instructions, if any, have been issued to British officials in the protectorates on the matter of transfer?
Marquess of HartingtonIn accordance with the arrangement reached in the discussions last summer with the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa relating to the High Commission Territories in South Africa, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is in communication with General Hertzog with a view to considering what further steps are practicable to enable the policy agreed in 1935 to be given full effect. The correspondence is still proceeding and in the meantime I am not in a position to make any statement. No new instructions have been issued to the officials on the subject since the letter sent to the High Commissioner after the discussion with General Hertzog in 1935.