HC Deb 25 April 1887 vol 313 cc1787-9
MR. S. WILLIAMSON (Kilmarnock, &c.)

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been called to the report in The Lagos Observer of 19th February, of the trial of a man named Shaw, who was sentenced to death by Mr. Sergeant, Acting General Agent of the Royal Niger Company; that the trial took place at eight o'clock in the morning, when sentence is alleged to have been pronounced in this summary fashion, "You will be hung after breakfast;" and that when Shaw asked for five minutes in which to say his prayers, Sergeant is reported to have replied, "Oh, you will have plenty of time to pray in the next world;" whether the trial and condemnation of Shaw, if correctly narrated in The Lagos Observer, were in contravention of the "West Africa Order, 1885," issued in conformity with principles agreed upon at the Berlin Conference; and, whether, in view of many questions gravely affecting the powers, privileges, and duties of the Royal Niger Company, Her Majesty's Government will cause inquiry to be made into the manner in which the Royal Niger Company exercise the powers conferred on them by their Charter?

THE UNDER SECRETARY (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.)

A full Report of the case referred to has been received. It shows that the statement in the hon. Member's Question is incorrect in every particular. The facts are that Shaw, a negro in the Com- pany's service, was tried by Major Veitch, then supreme judicial officer under the Royal Niger Company's jurisdiction. He had served with distinction in South Africa, and has since died. Mr. Sergeant is the head of the Company's executive, and had nothing to do with the trial. The trial took place at 8 a.m., which is not unusual in tropical countries. It was conducted in the most regular manner. The accused pleaded guilty; but the evidence was recorded, and the witnesses were cross-examined. No such words were used as are stated in the Question, and sentence was pronounced in the usual English form. The trial did not take place under the Order in Council of 1885, which has reference only to territories where the Queen exercises jurisdiction under the Foreign Jurisdiction Act. That Order has nothing to do with the principles of the Berlin Conference, which do not apply to the Niger, except as regards the free navigation of the river.

MR. CHILDERS (Edinburgh, S.)

At what hour of the clock was this man executed?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

said, he understood he was executed at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and that there were special reasons for that time, in as much, as the occurrence took place in the midst of a tribe which was extremely excited at the murder of a woman. Probably further loss of life would have occurred if the murderer had not been executed.

MR. S. WILLIAMSON

asked, if Major Veitch, who pronounced the words of the sentence, was not an assessor?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

said, he had read all the papers. There was a complete Report, and a great many notes of evidence were taken. Major Veitch was not an assessor. He was occupying the position of principal judicial officer under the Company, and he tried the prisoner himself. Mr. Sergeant, the chief executive officer, had nothing to do with it.

MR. S. WILLIAMSON

asked, whether Major Veitch was not a servant of the Company?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

said, he was an officer acting in the service of the Company.

MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)

asked, from what source the hon. Baronet the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs received his information; whether it was not given by officers of the Company; and also whether the Company was not in the habit of importing a large amount of spirituous liquors, and deriving a considerable income by charging a very heavy price for it?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

said, the reports had certainly been received through the medium of the Company, and they could not be obtained in any other way. He had seen all the essential documents. They were not reports pre-pared by officers of the Company in this country; but were original reports, made upon the spot. As to the importation of liquor, that was another question; and he had made himself acquainted with all the circumstances. The Company had cheeked the importation, and would also put down the sale of drink to the utmost of their power; and, at the Berlin Conference, they endeavoured to get the consent of the other Powers to prohibit the entrance of spirits there at all, but they were unable to obtain a general concurrence.

MR. LABOUCHERE

asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman was prepared to say that the Company itself was not importing drink?

SIR JAMES FERGUSSON

said, that the Company was a trading company, and he supposed it did; but he should say that wherever they could guard against the competition of smuggling they did so, and stopped the importation of liquor.

MR. LABOUCHERE

Naturally.

MR. S. WILLIAMSON

said, that as the information came from the Company itself, he should like to ask whether it would not be better to check the information by some independent inquiry?

SIR JAMES FEEGUSSON

said, there was no other authority but the Company in the region where this took place. The Company were at the beginning of their enterprize, and they seemed to be conducting their affairs in a judicious manner under circumstances of great difficulty.

MR. S. WILLIAMSON

asked, if there was no Consul in the Delta?

[No reply.]