Dr. Morganasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any departmental advice has been given as to the meaning of the phrase "subversive activities"; whether the scope of the meaning has been limited to alleged anti-British disloyal activities or is equally applicable to expressions of disaffection regarding sordid Colonial conditions remaining unremedied, to trade union organisational methods, or to constitutional political efforts; and whether any circular or instructions have recently been sent to Colonial governors as to the interpretation to be elastically applied by them to offences covered by Colonial Defence Regulations?
§ Colonel StanleyThe powers conferred upon Colonial Governors by the Emergency Powers (Defence) Acts and in the Orders made thereunder to restrict the movements or activities of persons, have been closely modelled upon those possessed by the Home Secretary and Governors of Colonies have from time to time been informed of the practice of the Home Secretary in the administration of the various United Kingdom Defence Regulations; I am confident that Colonial Governors use their powers only for the purposes for which they are intended as expressed in the text of the various Regulations, and that these powers are not used to suppress legitimate social criticism, trade union activity, or constitutional political efforts.