34. Mr. ALFRED DAVIESasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state at what period, if at all, His Majesty's Government became aware of the fact that Sir Starr Jameson, without the knowledge of the High Commissioner of South Africa, had secretly agreed to give the men who followed him into Matabeleland in 1893 a total of 4,000,000 acres of native land and other rewards of a total potential value exceeding £6,000,000; and whether he can say what, if any, action was taken by the Government of the day when this fact came to their knowledge?
§ Lieutenant-Colonel AMERYThe question was raised in Parliament at the time, and I would refer my hon. Friend to Mr. Buxton's statement in the House of Commons on the 27th November, 1893.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWill the right hon. Gentleman see that the British taxpayer is not involved in indefinite liabilities in connection with Rhodesia without this House having been consulted?