AFRICAN STATUS BILL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22256, 8 May 1934, Page 7

AFRICAN STATUS BILL

DEBATE IN THE ASSEMBLY - CAPETOWN, April 24. After floundering for three days in committee on the Status Bill, the House of Assembly engaged in an all-night sitting. Three members, Messrs Stallard, Coulter and Marwick, tabled 20 amendments, beginning with one which stated; “ The phrase in the preamble ‘ the royal style or title shall not be altered or modified without the assent of all the Parliaments of the Commonwealth of Nations,’ shall be mado an operative clause.”

The Deputy Prime Minister, General Smuts, argued that this was tantamount to South Africa claiming the right to legislate for the Empire. The Labour Leader Interjected: “If Britain decided to abolish the monarchy she must get the consent of the Union of South Africa.” The debate on an amendment to give British warships unrestricted use of Union ports in the event of war disclosed that, in spite of the neutrality provision, the Union could not remain neutral while the British Navy occupied Simoustown.

Another debate took place on the personal executive action vested in the King, and on the question whether the King could act on the advice of his Ministers or be advised. The Government put forward an amendment to preserve the personal prerogatives of the King and the consequent functions of the GovernorGeneral.

The Bill defines the qualification of a member of Parliament as “ a person of European descent acquiring Union nationality by birth, domicile as a British subject or naturalisation.” The malcontents want only the qualification of British subjects of European descent.

The Minister pointed out that many Union nationals were not British subjects. He intimated that no further amendments would be accepted.

The House was impatient at midnight at the implacability of the diehards’ refusal to accept General Smuts’s assurances that the Bill did not change the position.