HC Deb 19 March 1889 vol 334 cc134-6
DR. TANNER

I beg to ask the Under Secretary for the Colonies whether facilities will be afforded at the Government Offices for Cape Colony to search the columns of the Cape Gazette, with the object of ascertaining why Mr. O'Neil Segrave was obliged to retire from the Cape Mounted Infantry?

BARON H. DE WORMS

The notification in the Cape Gazette is as follows:—

"Colonial Secretary's Office,

Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope,

July 20, 1885.

His Excellency the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, has been pleased to approve the following alteration in the Cape Infantry Regiment:—

'The services of Lieutenant O'Neil Segrave are dispensed with. Dated the 16th of July, 1885.'

JOHN TUDHOPE, Colonial Secretary."

I shall be happy to give the hon. Member the facilities he desires for seeing the Cape Gazette, should he still wish to do so. No answer has as yet been received from the Cape in reply to the telegraphic inquiry as to the cause of Mr. Segrave's dismissal. If the hon. Member will put a further question on Thursday, I will give him the information, should I have then received it.

SIR W. HARCOURT

I have to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether Captain Segrave's salary will be upon the Vote on Account, and whether that Vote on Account will be taken without any reasons being given with reference to the matter on which the interrogation has been made?

BARON H. DE WORMS

It will not be upon the Colonial Estimates.

SIR W. HARCOURT

Will it be on the Vote on Account of the Irish Estimates?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

Mr. Segrave is still a Resident Magistrate in Ireland, and will remain a Resident Magistrate until there is some evidence to show that he ought to be dismissed, and, he being a Resident Magistrate, I presume his salary will be provided in the Vote.

MR. SEXTON

May I ask whether the Agent General of the Cape Colony, in sending a copy of the Official Gazette, has not stated that Lieutenant Segrave's services would not have been dispensed with unless he had been guilty of some grave offence; and whether under these circumstances Captain Segrave will be continued as a Resident Magistrate?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I really am amazed at the principles of justice which appear to animate hon. Gentlemen opposite. I have done my best to get full information regarding Mr. Segrave's career in South Africa, and if there has been any delay due to any office in this country, that is not at the door of the Irish Office, but at the door of the Colonial Office, and I hope it will be on the head of my right hon. Friend near me that all the vials of the wrath of the hon. Gentlemen below the Gangway will be poured in regard to this matter. If hon. Gentlemen think that I, as responsible for the Irish Government, am going to dismiss any servant of the Irish Government until full particulars have been obtained with regard to the offence of which he is accused, they are entirely mistaken.

SIR W. HARCOURT

May I ask whether all these circumstances were not brought under the notice of the right hon. Gentleman on December 19 last; and when he seeks to evade responsibility, when he disclaims responsibility, for the Irish Office, I would ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, after the lapse of three months, he is not at present in possession of that information which has been asked for?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I made a request to the Colonial Secretary for information, and I have not got it. The right hon. Gentleman knows that I have no direct means of communicating with the Cape Government. Any further question on the subject should be addressed to my right hon. Friend.

SIR W. HARCOURT

Then I will ask the Under Secretary for the Colonies why, if he was requested three months ago to inquire into this matter, he has not done so?

BARON H. DE WORMS

The only answer is that the request was made to the Cape Government. [Cries of "When?"]

BARON H. DE WORMS

At the time, and repeated since by telegraph. It was repeated again to-day.

DR. TANNER

If a question is sent by telegraph, why cannot an answer be received by wire?

BARON H. DE WORMS

An answer might be received by telegraph if it had been sent.