§ SIR HENEY TYLERasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the "Native Location Commission," provided for in Articles 21 and 22 of the Transvaal Convention, has been constituted; and, if so, what work it has performed; and, whether its proceedings have been satisfactory to Her Majesty's Government?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, on the 3rd of January last the British Resident wrote to the High Commissioner that, having in view the desirability of an early assembling of this Commission, he proposed to meet the President at an early date, to arrange for the due constitution of the Commission. That is the latest information we have on the subject.
§ SIR HENRY TYLERasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether any, and, if so, what sums of money have been paid under Articles 9, 10, and 11, of the Transvaal Convention, to Her Majesty's Government, or what arrangements have been made, under those Articles, or what additional money provided by Her Majesty's Government for the Transvaal, up to the present time?
§ MR. COURTNEYSir, the British Resident has intimated that the Transvaal Government is not in a position to pay and satisfy at present the claims awarded against it; and in order to save those entitled to compensation from inconvenience and distress the British Resident has been authorized to pay the claims awarded upon his receiving from the Transvaal Government a formal notification of its inability to meet them at present, and of its desire that the British Government should advance the necessary funds. The amount which has been or may have to be so paid is not yet precisely known; but the British Resident has reported that the probable total award against the Transvaal Government may be £ 110,000. No money has been received from the Transvaal Government under Article 11 of the Convention, which mentioned 12 months from the 8th of August, 1881, as the period within which the first instalment of the debt should be repaid.