§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any Despatches have been received from the Portuguese territory impugning the statements of the agents of the South Africa Chartered Company in respect to transactions in Manica; whether the House will have an opportunity to see the correspondence that has taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the Portuguese Government in regard to these transactions before the Colonial Vote is taken; whether he is aware that Mr. Colquhoun, who is now the leading official of the Chartered Company in Manicaland, was removed from his appointment as Deputy Commissioner of Burma by the Government of India, for having been proved to have instigated attacks, by the Times correspondent at Rangoon, on the Chief Commissioner of Burma, whilst, at the same time, assuring the Chief Commissioner in private letters of his complete confidence and loyal devotion; and whether the information of Her Majesty's Government, in regard to matters in Manica, is derived from Mr. Colquhoun?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONThe Reports which have been communicated to us by the Portuguese Government give, in some respects, a different account of the events in Manica from those sent by the agents of the South Africa Company. It would be inconvenient, and contrary to established usage, to publish the correspondence while negotiations are pending between the two Governments. I am informed that Mr. Colquhoun was removed from his office in Burma on account of his conduct to the Chief Commissioner. The information in the possession of Her Majesty's Government respecting the events in Manica is derived from various sources: the Chief Commissioner at the Cape, the South 694 Africa Company, and the Portuguese Government. I am unable to say what portion of it, if any, may have been furnished by Mr. Colquhoun. But the officer who took part in the affairs at Mutassa's Kraal and reported on them was not Mr. Colquhoun, but Captain Forbes.
§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLCan the right hon. Gentleman give us any information proving or disproving the Report of the conduct of Mr. Colquhoun in reference to his removal from the-Service?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONI must ask for notice of any further question. I may point out that Mr. Colquhoun was not removed from the Service, but only from the special appointment in Burma.
§ MR. LABOUCHERERemoved afterwards, I suppose?
§ SIR GEORGE BADEN - POWELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are two gentlemen of the name of Colquhoun. up there, one of whom did not serve in Burma?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONI am not-aware; but my answer refers to the one who did.