HC Deb 30 November 1882 vol 275 cc361-4
SIR E. ASSHETON CROSS

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colo- nies, Whether he has yet received the Report of the Committee of Inquiry as to the case of the Cuban Refugees; and, if so, whether he will lay it upon the Table of the House?

MR. EVELYN ASHLEY

Yes, Sir; the Report of the Committee of Inquiry was received yesterday morning at the Colonial Office; and it clearly condemns, as I anticipated, the conduct of the Local Authorities. I had hoped I should have been able to lay the Report and the Evidence on the Table to-day, together with the decision of the Secretary of State for the Colonies; but I cannot do so, because we have received a communication from the Governor of Gibraltar, Lord Napier, asking us to suspend our judgment until a letter is received from him, which is on its way, and which, I hope, may arrive to-morrow. The Papers and the decision of the Colonial Office will be laid simultaneously on the Table of the House.

SIR E. ASSHETON CROSS

What is the objection to laying the communication received from Gibraltar on the Table, without waiting for the decision of the Colonial Office? Why cannot we have it at once?

MR. EVELYN ASHLEY

said, he did not think one moment would be gained by doing that. He hoped that to-morrow, or, at any rate, by Monday, all the Papers would be on the Table.

SIR E. ASSHETON CROSS

How are we to discuss this question before Parliament rises if we do not have the necessary Papers?

MR. EVELYN ASHLEY

All I can say is that we have done the very best we can. We think the Papers ought not to be laid on the Table till the decision has been come to, and that decision cannot be given till to-morrow or Monday.

SIR E. ASSHETON CROSS

I beg to give Notice that to-morrow I shall move for these Papers.

COLONEL CARINGTON

May I ask who is the official directly responsible for the surrender of the prisoners?

MR. EVELYN ASHLEY

Really, this is a most complicated case, and Papers will be laid upon the Table of the House, and it is too much that I should say who is chiefly responsible.

MR. O'CONNOR POWER

Am I right in interpreting the hon. Gentleman's answer as being to this effect— that the Government will not only see that the Papers are printed without delay, but that they will announce their decision in regard to the person responsible for this matter?

MR. EVELYN ASHLEY

We have nothing to do with the printing establishments connected with the House. All we can do is to promise to lay the Papers on the Table as soon as they are ready. That we do, and I think they will be on the Table to-morrow or Monday.

SIR E. ASSHETON CROSS

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Government have taken any steps to secure the release of the Cuban refugees by the Spanish Government; and, if so, what steps have been taken for that purpose; whether he will, at all events before Parliament is prorogued, lay all the Correspondence between the British and Spanish Governments upon the Table of the House; and, whether he will lay upon the Table of the House any communications which may have taken place from 1869 to 1871 between Her Majesty's Consuls in Cuba and the Governor of Rassam with any of Her Majesty's Secretaries of State, relative to the acts and proclamations of the Captain General of Cuba with respect to refugees or rebels escaping from Cuba?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

As I have often stated, unofficial representations have been made to the Spanish Government. The Report received yesterday has been referred by the Colonial Office to the Law Officers of the Crown; and official representations cannot be made until we know their views. Correspondence will ultimately be laid on the Table, but cannot be laid while communications are passing. With regard to the last paragraph of the right hon. Member's Question, if he will inform me who the Governor of Rassam is, I shall be happy to give him an answer.

SIR E. ASSHETON CROSS

The hon. Baronet has not answered that portion of my Question which refers to Cuba.

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

The time has been rather short, and the Correspondence is long, and we have not succeeded in finding out anything yet. Mr. Dunlop was the Consul General, and further search will be made.

SIR E. ASSHETON CROSS

As many of us are of opinion that the right of asylum has been violated, and as no steps seem to have been taken to secure the release of the prisoners, I wish to ask whether we are to have no opportunity of discussing this question before Parliament rises?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

That is a Question of which Notice should be given, and which should be addressed to the Prime Minister.

SIR R. ASSHETON CROSS

I will repeat it to-morrow.