TNAG-0931-FCO40-1149-Capital-punishment-in-the-Dependent-Territories-1980 — Page 83

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Written Answers

II AUGUST 1947

London remote from the scene of the crime. It is unlikely that, if it were once understood that the Secretary of State is ready to intervene, numerous petitions would be sent to him or to His Majesty, and their consideration by him would be physically impossible. In capital cases, their mere consideration would cause just that delay which it is necessary to avoid.

and

But further, and more important, for the Secretary of State to intervene would conflict with the plain intention of the con- stitutional instruments I have referred to, which set up a better machinery for de- ciding these matters than anything the Secretary of State could do here; would be contrary to the common sense of the situation, since the Governor, know- ing all the circumstances, is in a better position to judge whether the prerogative of mercy should be exercised in any par- ticular case. To this must be added the further consideration that the best safe- guard for a careful decision in so grave a matter is the undivided responsibility of the person who makes it.

I do not, however, say that, if some exceptional case were brought to the Secretary of State's notice in which there were an in- dication that a miscarriage of justice had occurred, he would shut his eyes to it. The Secretary of State would communi- cate with the Governor as the case re- quired. The Governor would make any further investigations which might be necessary, and would obviously not pro- ceed with the carrying out of a sentence if there were any real doubt about the case. It is inconceivable that, in order to prevent a miscarriage of justice in such a case, I should have to advise His Majesty to intervene, and in practice, therefore, it is highly improbable that intervention by His Majesty on the advice of the Secretary of State would ever take place. I am convinced that to follow any other course would seriously impair the administration of justice in the Colonies.

Broadcasts (Languages)

36. Mr. Keeling asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will issue in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement of the principal languages, other than English, understood in the Colonies, and Trust Territories, showing the estimated number of persons understanding each language, the languages in which the B.B.C. broadcasts and the estimated

Written Answers

234

number of persons respectively within and outside the Colonies, etc., who listen to such broadcasts.

Mr. Creech Jones, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th May, 1947: Vol. 437; c. 401], supplied the following information:

(1) In the British Colonies, etc., out- side Africa the languages other than Eng- lish which may be called principal in the sense of being common to the greatest number, are

"

Sinhalese, understood by approximately

four million;

Chinese (of various dialects), under- stood by approximately four million; Tamil, understood by approximately

three million;

Malay, understood by approximately

three million;

Arabic, understood by approximately

two million.

(2) In the East African territories of Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda and Zanzi- bar, the total population of which is about 13 million, Kiswahili is widely under- stood but in varying forms and degrees.

(3) Hausa is spoken by nearly five million people in the Northern Provinces of Nigeria and the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast. In addition, it is understood to some extent by a number, which cannot be at all accurately esti- mated, of the peoples of other language groups in British West Africa.

(4) Of the other main African languages Ibo and Yoruba are understood by at least four and three million people respec- tively. Akan (Twi, Fanti and Ashanti), Nyanza and Banda may each be very broadly estimated to be understood by between one and three millions.

the

(5) The B.B.C. broadcasts in following languages, other than English, understood by an appreciable number of people in the Colonies: Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese, Hokkien, Kuoyu), French, Greek and Turkish (for Cyprus), IIin- dustani, Malay, Maltese, Sinhalese and Tamil.

(6) No comprehensive estimate is pos- sible of the number of people outside the Colonies who listen to the B.B.C.'s broadcasts in the languages listed above, and in any estimate of the number of listeners to such broadcasts within the