HC Deb 13 February 1890 vol 341 cc195-6
MR. PICTON (Leicester)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Correspondence respecting the Affairs of the Gold Coast, in continuation of Blue Book C, 5615, will be presented to the House; and (2) whether that Correspondence will furnish information as to the imprisonment of Bella Cobbinah and two others in Elmina Castle on a charge of murdering Mr. Dalrymple, although two of them had been acquitted after trial at Accra, and the third had never been brought up for trial?

BARON H. DE WORMS

Her Majesty's Government have no present intention of presenting further Correspondence respecting the Affairs of the Gold Coast. 2. The circumstances attending the imprisonment of Bella Cobbinah and two others were explained by me in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for the City of London, on the 11th of April last, and I then stated that it was undesirable to publish the Papers.

MR. PICTON

Does the right hon. Gentleman say that no such Correspondence exists?

BARON H. DE WORMS

I did not say so. I said that I am unable to publish the Correspondence.