§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the Government of the Gold Coast has given bounties to the owners of Grushi slaves on condition that the said slaves would enlist as soldiers in the service of the Colony; whether the Governor of the Gold Coast, in reply to a question by one of his officers, said—"Bring me the men, that is all you have to understand;" whether a British officer in March last forcibly seized a number of Grushis outside the British frontier, and without attesting them brought them down to the Gold Coast Protectorate to serve for a term of years in the Constabulary Force; whether 100 lashes were inflicted upon certain constabulary men by a junior officer, without making the required entries in the regimental defaulters' sheet, and without reporting to the officer in command?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Baron HENRY DE WORMS) (Liverpool, East Toxteth)(1.) The Governor has reported that some Grushis, who were fugitives from Ashantee, have been enlisted to serve in the Gold Coast Constabulary; and that the usual bounties were paid to the chiefs of the 971 country in which they were living. (2.) The remark attributed to the Governor is absolutely inconsistent with the orders given by him to the recruiting officer; and it is impossible to believe that he made it. (3.) This Question must refer to the same Grushis as the first Question. They were not seized forcibly; but the conditions of their proposed employment were carefully explained to them before they left Kratchie, and again on their arriving at Accra; and they all agreed to serve in the constabulary, except two men as to whose wishes there was some doubt. (4.) No information has been received with regard to this last question; but inquiry will be made.