§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether his attention has been called to a letter in the "Standard" of May 31st, from Pretoria, in the Transvaal, which gives many details with regard to the cruel persecution by the Boers of natives in and on the borders of the Transvaal, in revenge for their support of the British cause during the late war, and particularly to the cases of three loyal native chiefs named Montsion, Monkoroane, and Kalafri; whether the chief, Montsion, who received and protected during the war numbers of refugees from Boer rapacity, was first attacked by a Boer Commando, assisted by other chiefs whom 1936 the Boers instigated to attack him, and has since been constantly harassed by these chiefs, aided by large numbers of Boer volunteers, while the British authorities in South Africa have orders to prevent volunteers or ammunition from reaching Montsion for his defence; whether the chief, Kalafri, and his tribe, because "they had English sympathies," have been utterly ruined by a fine of 10,000 head of cattle imposed by the Boers; and to quote the words of the correspondent—
This tribe is small and weak, which the Boers well knew. The women, with children in their arms, pleaded in vain to the Boers to leave them something or they would starve, but the latter only jeered at them;and, whether Her Majesty's Government will take prompt measures to protect these loyal natives, and if England will not step in and insist on the Boers putting a stop to this murderous war, if she will not prevent these poor natives from obtaining ammunition and assistance to enable them to defend their country?
MR. GLADSTONESir, the attention of the Government has been called to the matters contained in the letter referred to. I am not able to enter at large into the details; but I can state this—that hostilities have been going on for some time between the Chief called Montsion and other Chiefs and a certain number of Boers who have taken part in these hostilities. Under these circumstances, representations have been made to the Transvaal Government on the subject, and we have urged that Government to prevent any violation of its neutrality. It has also been the duty of the British authorities to warn British subjects against any violation of neutrality.