§ DR. CAMERON (Glasgow, College)asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether he is yet in a position to give any information regarding the statement as to the bombardment of villages in the Islands of Malayta and Lentara by H.M.S. Opal, concerning which a Question was asked on the 6th of September last; and, whether, in the course of her investigations of the outrages to which he referred, in his answer to that Question, the Opal engaged in any belligerent reprisals upon Natives; and, if so, whether he will lay Papers concerning them before Parliament?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)Reports have been received from the Commander-in-Chief on the Australian Station detailing certain outrages by the Natives of one of the Islands of the Solomon Group; and also giving the conclusions arrived at by the Officers who were directed to investigate these occurrences. These outrages resulted in the murder of several white men. The Chief of the tribe who were guilty of those acts having declined to give either explanations or make reparation, the Opal punished the village of the tribe by firing upon it. There will be no objection to the production of the Papers relating to the matter.