STATUS BILLS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 10 April 1934, Page 5

STATUS BILLS

SOUTH AFRICAN UNION-

DETAILS OF PROVISIONS'" ’7 «w

CAPETOWN, ’ 25th, '.Match. The Government’s status bills are * arousing lively -controversy. 4 The preamble to the principal ' * ure, amending the Soqtli African, Act?-* » the existing Constitution—declares (“the 2 sovereign independence of the Union as ~ » defined in the Imperial Conference resolutions of 1926, the Union being one of * the “autonomous communities within * the British Empire, equaL ihi status to-* >, ** the Commonwealth of Nations.” * The section, which lays down that'the * King acts in Union affairs upon the » advice of his Ministers in the' Unique * has aroused criticism oil the ground '** that the King, if always acting on' the"'--’* » advice of his Ministers, might be: unable to dismiss his Ministers. However, this •>... • power of dismissal is still vested' in the I Governor-General... *WS *

The Government intend to -give,.their.• provinces protection in view of the repeal of the right of reservation, whioii. * hitherto has been applied in the case of (, bills abolishing or amending th e pro-'”” < vincial system. L~ff* "filcup T It will be laid down that no province *- can be subdivided or abolished, except* * on the petition of a substantial major-, ‘I lty in its electorate on a .referendum.* * Another bill establishes a Greal-dSflai/-," > for the Union, with an effigy of the King, chosen by himself, on the obverse • side and the arms of the Union.,on the,-,,* ? reverse. The seal will be in charge*or * » the Prime Minister, and will be used.aij, * all instruments requiring the King’s * sign manual. L Yet another bill enacts the South Africa Act, which was an Act of the =

British Parliament in 1910, as an Act of the Union Parliament. T The “Capo Times” regards the bills “ as necessary measures, consequent in * the Statute of Westminster. ”