HC Deb 02 March 1888 vol 323 cc24-5
MR. W. REDMOND (Fermanagh, N.)

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he will state the circumstances attending the conviction and exiling of King Ja-Ja, of Opobo; whether he will inform the House what offence the King was charged with, and what evidence was brought in support of the charge; and, why the trial took place at Accra, a place 600 miles from Opobo, where the King had no friends and no means of meeting the charges brought against him?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)

Rear Admiral Sir William Hunt Grubbe, commanding the West African Squadron, was directed to inquire into the charges against King Ja-Ja, of Opobo. It was proved to the satisfaction of the Admiral that Ja-Ja had incited armed resistance to Her Majesty's Consul when he visited the upper waters in order to open the interior to British trade, so that he was forced back; and that he had broken the conditions of the Protectorate Treaty. The trial took place at Accra, to which place Ja-Ja had been previously re- moved, and at which his legal adviser resided, according to the discretionary powers conferred upon the Admiral. It was thorough and patient and lasted for three days, at the close of which Ja-Ja's counsel thanked the Admiral for his kindness and impartiality.

MR. W. REDMOND

inquired, whether the Marquess of Salisbury had not given an undertaking to the Aborigines' Protection Society that the trial of Ja-Ja should take place at Opobo; and what particular Articles of the Treaty of 1884 Ja-Ja had broken?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

replied that he had been found to have broken Article 5. He was quite sure that the Marquess of Salisbury had not given the undertaking stated.

MR. W. REDMOND

asked, if the Government would carefully consider the matter before the sentence was carried out?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

replied that all the circumstances had been carefully inquired into, and it would not be for the public interest for the Government to interfere.

MR. W. REDMOND

asked, if it could be shown to the Foreign Office that there was further information, whether they would stay execution of the sentence?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

said, anything that the hon. Member or anyone else thought proper to send to the Foreign Office on the subject would be considered. He could not undertake to stay sentence.