HC Deb 30 May 1881 vol 261 cc1654-6
MR. GORST

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, What steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to protect the native inhabitants of the Transvaal against wanton aggression on the part of the Boers during the sitting of the Commission?

MR. R. N. FOWLER

asked the right hon. Gentleman, Whether his attention had been called to a telegram from Durban in The Standard of that day, stating that the entire Transvaal was to be given up to the Boers on their own terms; and, whether he could give any information on the subject?

MR. GRANT DUFF

I am afraid it I would be very far indeed from advantageous to the peace of the Transvaal if I were to state from day to day what the Royal Commission is doing, either in regard to the Native question or any other question. I had occasion the other day to show that the Commission heel dealt most promptly and successfully with the only Native question of any real difficulty that had arisen. I was further happy to be able to show that the Boer leaders had acted with great frankness and fairness in assisting our people in dealing with the question. I am sure that it will be the opinion of the House that the Commission may be safely left to deal with ordinary questions with regard to the Natives as they arise. Of course, if any question of real difficulty arises they will consult Her Majesty's Government. I should like to take this opportunity of giving answers to those Questions which were put to me on Friday by the right lion. Gentleman opposite (Sir Michael Hicks-Beach). We telegraphed as we promised, and we received replies. The first question was, whether British troops had started for the re-occupation of Potchefstroom, and we have received the following telegram from Sir Evelyn Wood:— May 28.—Escort and garrison for Potchefstroom leave here to-day. Cross border Monday. Buller accompanies. Will not leave Standert on until guns are received. Our second question was— Is there any truth in report that Natives in Boer employment have been ordered by their Chiefs to return to their kraals, and that Natives in English employment have been warned to be ready to join tribes in case of war? To that we received the following reply from Sir Hercules Robinson:— Yours 27th.—Lieutenant Davidson, heliograph officer so reports from Heidelberg. Wood endeavouring to verify this and similar rumours before reporting to you. In reply to the Question of the hon. Member for the City, all I can say is that the terms and conditions on which local freedom was to be granted to the Transvaal have already been made known in full to the House, and that negotiations are still proceeding within the limits and upon the alternatives then made known.

MR. GORST

asked, if the English Commission in the Transvaal had power and authority delegated to them by Her Majesty's Government to take, if necessary, military measures for the protection of the Natives?

MR. GRANT DUFF

Most undoubtedly, Sir. The state of things in the Transvaal is this—that the garrisons of Her Majesty remain in the Transvaal, and that justice is administered in the name of Her Majesty precisely as it was before the outbreak.

MR. CARINGTON

asked what notice Her Majesty's Government had taken of Kronje having attacked a friendly Kaffir Chief and killed 70 of his men?

MR. GRANT DUFF

We know nothing whatever of 70 men of any Kaffirtribe having been killed; and if the hon. Member cares to have my opinion on the subject, it is that I do not believe a word of it.

LORD EUSTACE CECIL

The right hon. Gentleman says that justice will be administered as heretofore. When I asked him the other day a Question on the subject of the murderers of Captain Elliott, I understood that they were to be tried by a Court in the Transvaal, but not a Court according to the old-established rule. Now, I should be glad, indeed, to know what Court it is that these persons are to be tried before?

MR. GRANT DUFF

If I conveyed the impression which he has just stated to the mind of the noble Lord, I must have been, I fear, curiously infelicitous in my mode of expression. What I said was that the murderers of Captain Elliott would be tried by the existing High Court, according to the existing law, and I really do not know how to put what I have to say more clearly.

MR. GORST

gave Notice that he would ask whether a letter had been received from Montsuni by Sir Evelyn Wood, stating that ho had been obliged to take up arms, owing to the Boers instigating his enemies to attack him because he was faithful to the English during the war, and what reply had been sent to it?