§ Sir JOSEPH M'KENNAasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he can explain the cause of the delay in presenting to the House the Correspondence in connection with South African Affairs and the occupation of the Diamond Fields?
MR. J. LOWTHEEI was in hopes, Sir, that these Papers would have been 1461 already in the hands of hon. Members; but I am sorry to say I was somewhat too sanguine in forming that expectation. The state of the case is, that although the Papers are in a forward state of preparation, it is necessary to complete them by the addition of despatches not yet received, without which the nature of some important transactions cannot be understood. The Papers will not be unduly delayed, but no precise time for their presentation can at this moment be named. A despatch, however, having an important bearing upon the affairs of the Diamond Fields will be immediately distributed.