HC Deb 14 July 1879 vol 248 cc312-3
MR. H. SAMUELSON

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he is aware that the Amoosh Aga, who is Chief of the Police under the Turkish Government in the portion of Epirus proposed to be annexed to Greece by the Berlin Treaty, is the same man of whom the Special Correspondent of the "Times" in Thessaly wrote in that paper of April 4th, 1878,that on February 28th, 1878, he had caused to be "hacked almost to pieces" certain innocent inhabitants of Bulgarini, of whom the Bodies were then piled up like a row of wood, a row with feet this way, a row with feet that way, and branches, which had been placed underneath them, fired; And, whether he will make any representations to the Turkish Government with a view to the removal of Amoosh Aga from a post in which he has power over the lives and fortunes of the Thes-salian peasants?

MR. BOURKE

Sir, we have not heard who is commander of police in that part of Thessaly.

MR. H. SAMUELSON

Sir, in reading the Question, I substituted Epirus for Thessaly, which I had written by mistake.

MR. BOURKE

I am sorry I did not hear that the hon. Member made the correction; but it makes no difference to the answer. We have not heard who is commander of the police in either Thessaly or Epirus. In the Papers already laid before the House relating to Thessaly and Epirus, there is a name somewhat similar to that mentioned; but I am not sure whether it is the same individual. We have no means of knowing whether the statement in The Times is correct, or whether the individual therein mentioned is now in command of the police.

MR. H. SAMUELSON

Will the hon. Gentleman ascertain whether he is the same man of whom Mr. Ogle wrote the paragraph, to which paragraph, no doubt, that gentleman owed his death?

MR. BOURKE

Sir, I think that must be left to the discretion of Her Majesty's Government. I do not think I should be doing my duty if I were not to state that these events are alleged to have occurred a year and some months ago. Already all documents relating to them have been communicated to the House, and I do not think there is any reason now for stirring up these matters again unless some report has reached Her Majesty's Government through official channels. The officers employed by the Government in Turkey are perfectly alive to all these dreadful occurrences, and they report upon them from time to time; but I must say that the harm done by raking up these occurrences—

MR. H. SAMUELSON

I rise to a point of Order. I wish to know whether the hon. Gentleman, in answer to a simple Question, whether he -would ascertain who a particular individual was, has any right to debate the question whether an inquiry would do harm in Epirus?

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Member was certainly travelling beyond the limits of a reply. At the same time, I must point out that in regard to a Question of this kind it is expedient that Notice should be given.

MR. H. SAMUELSON

gave Notice that he should renew the Question on Thursday.