§ SIR WILLIAM M'ARTHURasked the Under Secretary of State for the 1112 Colonies, Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to appoint a Commissioner to reside on the borders of the Transvaal and Zululand, in accordance with Article 2 of the New Convention with the South African Republic?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYI am not able yet to announce the intention of the Government, as we are still waiting more authentic accounts of the situation on the frontier before coming to a decision.
§ SIR HENRY HOLLANDasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the statements in The Times of 14 July are correct, to the effect that a military column, supported by John Dunn's Natives, has left Ekowe presumably to operate against the Usutus; that there are constant violations of the Reserve by the Usutus; that the new Boer Republic in Zululand steadily grows; and that, through the action of Cetewayo's champions, the Zulu nation will soon cease politically to exist; and, whether he will inform the House what steps, if any, have been taken, and are being taken, to prevent the extinction of the Znlu nation, and the creation of a new Boer Republic in Zululand?
§ MR. A. PEASEasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he has received any information as to the recent collision between the Native police and the Zulus in the Native reserve; whether any loss of life has taken place; and, if so, what are the number of killed and wounded; whether he is able to state what are the official and what the Native explanations of the quarrel; and, whether the Government have taken any independent steps to arrive at the truth?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYThe only information we have yet received bearing on the newspaper statement quoted in the Question of the hon. Member for Midhurst (Sir Henry Holland) is contained in a telegram of the 9th of July from Sir Henry Bulwer, in which he says that the officers commanding in the Reserve had proceeded with a detachment of British troops and Natives in order to examine the neighbourhood of the Inkandhla, and to reassure the Loyals, and that it was expected to return on the 10th of July. It is true that in that particular part of the coun 1113 try there have been frequent violations of the Reserve by the Usutus. As to the alleged Boer Republic, this seems a question more of the future than of the present, which is concerned hitherto merely with grants of land to individual Boers for services rendered. As to the action of Cetewayo's champions, I am bound to confess that in my opinion most of the evils that have fallen on Cetewayo and the Zulu nation generally, during the last two years, have sprung from the bad advice and interference of Cetewayo's so-called "White friends." I have nothing to add to what I have already said in this House as to the proposed action of Her Majesty's Government. The Question of the hon. Member for Whitby (Mr. A. Pease) seems to refer to the encounter about a month ago between certain Native forces under Mr. Osborn, and the Usutus. The reports we have received give six as the number of killed and wounded on Mr. Osborn's side, and nearly 100 on that of the Usutus. The official explanation of the matter is that the Usutus in the part of the Reserve in question were molesting and harassing the loyal resident Natives, depriving them of their cattle and other possessions on the ground that they were not adherents of the Usutu party. It was in order to protect these people and to check this violent action of the Usutus that the force was sent. The Government do not propose to hold any formal inquiry, as they are quite satisfied that Sir Henry Bulwer is accurate in his reports, and that the statements which he forwards are now, as they have been in the past, entirely truthful.
§ SIR HENRY HOLLANDsaid, he understood the hon. Gentleman the last time he spoke on the subject to say that there were negotiations going on with the Transvaal Republic with a view that they should interfere to stop the Boers from going into Zululand. He wished to know whether there had been any answer received from the Republic?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYYes, Sir; I thought I stated the substance of the answer. The Transvaal Government said they would do all they could to prevent the invasion of the frontier; but they could not hold themselves responsible for the actions of private parties going over the border on their own initiative. They said, however, that as 1114 far as they were able they would check the movement.
§ SIR HENRY HOLLANDHave the Transvaal Government been asked to appoint a Commissioner of Police along the boundary in accordance with Article 2 of the Convention?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYNo, Sir; the Convention empowered either party to appoint a Commissioner. We are at present deliberating whether we should appoint a Commissioner; and if it lies with us to make a request to the Transvaal Government to appoint a Commissioner, that request ought to follow and not precede our action.
MR. GORSTIs the House to understand that the Government are absolutely ignorant of the story of the Usutu Chief as to the quarrel, and that, being so ignorant, they decline to take any steps to inform themselves on the subject?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYNo, Sir; we are not ignorant. We have very long statements which have been forwarded to us by Mr. William Grant, who represents himself as the advocate of the Native view. As far as I remember, he says that all these disturbances arose from the fact that the Natives were called upon to pay the hut tax before they had completed Cetewayo's funeral ceremony. Whether that commends itself to the sense of hon. Members I do not know; but it does not to mine.
MR. GORSTDo the Government accept the statement of this Mr. William Grant as to the Usutus, or will they take steps to find out the views of the Basuto Chiefs themselves?
§ [No reply.]