§ 143. Mr. Parkerasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what stage negotiations had reached between the British and South African Governments at the outbreak of the war on the handing over of the High Commission Territories.
Mr. Gorden-WalkerIn a statement made to the House on 29th March, 1938, the Secretary of State for Dominions136W Affairs explained that as a result of General Hertzog's visit to this country it had been agreed that there was room for closer co-operation on the lines envisaged in the aide memoire of May, 1935 (Cmd. 4948). It was accordingly agreed to set up a standing joint Advisory Conference, consisting of the Resident Commissioners of the three High Commission Territories and of three officers of the Union Government to study openings for co-operation and to consider matters of joint concern to the Union and the Territories. It was also agreed that the Union Government should prepare memoranda setting forth the terms which they might propose for the transfer of the Territories and that these memoranda should be made available for the information of the African and European inhabitants of the Territories.
The Advisory Conference did in fact meet before the war, and the Union Government proceeded with the preparation of a memorandum. On the outbreak of war the whole question was left in abeyance.