HC Deb 12 July 1883 vol 281 cc1213-5
MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, On what evidence he stated that Mr. J. W. Honey, who was murdered by Dutch Boers on the Transvaal Frontier last February was "one of the freebooters of Bechuanaland," and also on what authority he stated a man named Ireland to have been Honey's murderer, whereas Honey was last seen in the power of four Dutch Boers; whether these four were Diedericks, "Captain of Police," and his son; Celliers, "the General;" and Adrian le Rey, a notorious Boer bandit, who murdered ten Kaffirs during the siege of Potchef-stroom; whether these four and Niekerk, "the Administrator," whom he stated to have issued the proclamation which described Honey as an outlaw, were the "self-constituted Government" of the "Stellaland Republic," which consists of Dutch freebooters, who have lately, in defiance of the Transvaal Convention, robbed Montsioa and Mankaroane of their territories; whether Mr. Honey, when he heard of the charges against him, went to the aforesaid persons, and demanded proofs of the charges; whether he was taken by them before the Dutch Landrost of Christiana, and by him completely acquitted, and the charges described as wholly baseless; whether the aforesaid "self-constituted authorities" thereupon took Honey by force into the so-called "Republic of Stellaland," and foully murdered him on the road to Vrijburgh; whether Her Majesty still remains Suzerain of the Transvaal; and, whether the British Government in any way recognizes the "Republic of Stellaland" or its "authorities

MR. EVELYN ASHLEY

The hon. Member must be aware that except the first and last paragraphs I am unable to answer his Questions, as I have already twice stated that, beyond the copy of the Proclamation alluded to, we have no official information. I may take this opportunity of correcting an evident misunderstanding of my answer the other day as to the authority who sent us this Proclamation. It was our own Resident at Pretoria who took it out of The Volksstem newspaper. The evidence on which I stated Honey to have been one of the freebooters is the term used in this Proclamation of outlawry in which he is styled "one of our Volunteers," and is there charged with theft and treason. That a man named Ireland was his murderer I stated on the authority of a telegram sent to the Cape Government by Mr. Bethell, the White counsellor of Montsioa, who said—"Ireland, the murderer of Honey, is now at Griqua- town." The British Government do not in any way recognize the Republic of Stellaland or its authorities. The date of the Proclamation is February 12th.