§ MR. GUY DAWNAYasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he has received any official confirmation of the report that the Boers have attacked and routed the Barolong Chief, Montsioa, and have occupied his territory; whether Montsioa is the Chief who, during the Boer revolt, by protecting British refugees and loyal Boers, and by giving his men for use as messengers, rendered conspicuous service to this Country; whether, if this report be true, such an attack on a friendly Chief is consistent with the loyal observance, on the part of the Transvaal authorities, of the Convention of August 3rd 1881, and with the duty of subjects to their Suzerain; and, what steps Her Majesty's Government intend to take in the matter.
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYNo, Sir; we have as yet received no official confirmation of the report referred to. It is true that Montsioa was very friendly to the British during the troubles in the Transvaal; but I apprehend that love of plunder and not political feeling is the motive power which sends these Boers over the frontier; and Montsioa has no recognizable claim on the British Government beyond that which he has in common with his neighbours under 1402 the Convention of last year. These attacks are not made by the Transvaal authorities, but by individual Boers living near the border, and there have been even British subjects mixed up with the subjects of the Transvaal Republic. Papers which I have to-day laid on the Table will show what the Government have done and are doing in the matter.