§ BARON HENRY DE WORMSasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, With reference to a statement in the "Volksstem," the organ of the Government of the Transvaal, on the 16th of December last, that there was in the Transvaal Treasury "on the 581 30th September last a favourable cash balance of over £15,000," and that "£30,000 besides have been put aside for future payments," what is the amount that the Transvaal Government engaged to repay to the British Treasury within the year 1882–3 on account of the sums paid out of British funds in settlement of compensation claims, and what is the sum that it has actually repaid on this account?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYWhether that balance was in the Transvaal Treasury or not in September last, I would remind the hon. Member that by the Convention the British Debt is only a second charge on the Transvaal Revenues; so there were other demands to be met first. Apart from the interest payable on the whole British Debt, which has been hitherto paid, the only capital sum which the Transvaal Government engaged to pay within the year 1882–3 was £100,000, in terms of the Convention, since reduced, with the consent of the Colonial Office, to £50,000. Of this they have paid as yet nothing.