§ DR. CLARK (Caithness)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, How many months Zibepu has been in Eastern Zululand; whether, since he 58 has been placed there, he has incurred the disapprobation or censure of the Governor for taking property belonging to the Usutu or King's Party; whether the civil war that occurred when Cetewayo was restored also occurred from Zibepu appropriating property belonging to the Usutu or National Party; whether Colonel Staff has, as reported in The Times, 200 mounted Basutos and 1,500 Native levies under his command in Zululand; whether there is any truth in the statement of the correspondent of The Daily Chronicle that—
Owing to the arrest of several Chiefs, and the widespread burning of kraals, and the terrorising by the Native and Basuto levies in the quiet districts of Zululand, a general insurrection is almost inevitable. Native levies are being hastily sent forward, and the result must inevitably be massacre and bloodshed,whether, instead of sending an Expedition into Zululand, he will send an independent Commission to report as to the cause of the trouble; whether there is any basis for the statement of the correspondent of The Daily Chronicle that—The Governor now finds, though unfortunately too late, that he has been jockeyed into military action by prejudiced officials when the matter was barely one requiring the intervention of the police;and, whether it is the intention of the Government to still maintain Zibepu in Eastern Zululand after the results that occurred in 1884 and the spring of the present year?
§ MR. OSBORNE MORGAN (Denbighshire, E.)said, that arising out of the Question, he desired to know whether the hon. Gentleman could state the names of the troops and the number ordered to Zululand?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)(who replied) said: (1) Usibepu (Zibepu) has been in his old location (in what was formerly called Eastern Zululand, but is now part of Zululand) since the beginning of December, 1887. (2) The Governor cannot be said to have expressed disapprobation of his conduct, or rather of that of his people, in taking property belonging to the Usutus. Complaints of such taking have been made by the Usutus, and the Governor ordered them to be investigated, in the meantime expressing regret at hearing the complaints, ascribing the alleged acts of the Usibepu tribe to hunger, and 59 laying it down that compensation, as far as possible in kind, must be made for any grain or other property taken as alleged. (3) The causes of the war which broke out after the restoration of Cetewayo have formed the subject of a long controversy. The opinion of Sir Henry Bulwer, then Governor of Natal, and Special Commissioner for Zulu affairs, was that the war was due to an unjustifiable attack by Undabuko (Dinizulu's uncle) on Usibepu. (4) Her Majesty's Government have no complete details of the British forces now in Zululand; but the General commanding in South Africa is on the spot, and has called for reinforcements from the Cape portion of his command. (5) The statements quoted from The Daily Chronicle evidently contain the views and inferences of the correspondent on the situation; and the information received by Her Majesty's Government does not lead them to consider those statements accurate. (6) Her Majesty's Government do not think that the present would be an appropriate moment for sending a Commission of Inquiry to Zululand, as their information is that Dinizulu and Undabuko have committed wanton acts of robbery and violence, for which there can be no justification, in British territory, and which must be put down in any view of the case. (7) As far as Her Majesty's Government know, there is no basis for that statement. (8) No decision can be arrived at for the present as to the future place of residence of Usibepu, who is at present at Unkonjeni, in Zululand.
§ DR. CLARKgave Notice that on the Report stage of Supply he should move the reduction of the salary of the Secretary of State on account of his action with regard to this matter.
§ MR. JOHN MORLEY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)It is very clear from what the hon. Gentleman has stated that important events are in progress in South Africa. May I ask whether we may expect very soon to have further Papers laid on the Table of the House.