§ SIR JOHN GORST (Chatham)asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government are in possession of information respecting the recent acquisition of fresh territory by the North Borneo Company; whether complaints have reached Her Majesty's Government that some of the Natives have been deprived of their all by unjust and secret transfers of territory; whether many of these people have been thrown into prison when showing a natural repugnance in being ousted of all they possessed; what are the positions held by Mr. Treacher, the Acting Consul General, towards Her Majesty's Government and towards the North Borneo Company; and, haw long he has held such positions respectively?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. BRYCE) (Aberdeen, S.)Information has recently reached Her Majesty's Government respecting the acquisition referred to in the Question, and complaints have been received that cessions of territory have been obtained from a Native Prince through a Minister not duly authorized to make them, and under circumstances which Her Majesty's Government consider call for further inquiry. It is also alleged that Natives have suffered by these cessions. The information now in the possession of Her Majesty's Government is not sufficient to enable them to determine the controversies of fact which have arisen, nor to pronounce on the justice of the complaints. No information to the effect mentioned in the third paragraph of the Question has been received by Her Majesty's Government. Mr. Treacher, who was previously in the Colonial Service, and had acted as Administrator of Labuan and Consul General for Borneo between, the years 1876 and 1880, was appointed in 1881 to be the principal 801 representative of the North Borneo Company in Borneo. He has recently acted for Dr. Leys, the present Administrator and Consul General, during the latter's absence upon leave.