HC Deb 20 June 1889 vol 337 cc310-1
MR. THOMAS ELLIS (Merionethshire)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has yet received information, confirmatory or otherwise, as to the allegations made against Mr. R. H. Addison, the Resident Magistrate of the Nawande District, of having tried to extort evidence by torture, flogging, and isolating men, and then firing a gun to make each separate man think the other was shot; and, whether it is a fact that, while the late trials at Eshowe were going on, the lands occupied by those charged with disturbances were partitioned among Usibebu's party, and so rendering 60 headmen of the Usutu party homeless?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Baron H. de WORMS,) Liverpool, East Toxteth

The Secretary of State has no further information as to the alleged attempt of Mr. Addison to obtain evidence in the manner suggested in the hon. Member's question. The Secretary of State has seen a report of allegations made by natives to the effect stated in the second paragraph of the question, and has received a Report on these allegations from Mr. Osborn, which tends to show that in such slight shiftings and readjustings of the population as have taken place in the ordinary course of administration no hardship or injustice was inflicted on the Usutu section. The Zulus do not recognise individual property in land, and it is within the competence and part of the duty of the supreme power to assign to the various sections of the population their places of residence and the lands on which they are to subsist. The Papers will be included in the correspondence to be presented to Parliament.

MR. T. ELLIS

May I ask whether the attention of the hon. Gentleman has been called to the evidence tendered by a native constable attached to the magistracy of Mr. Addison, which showed that natives were flogged in order to get evidence?

BARON H. DE WORMS

I have already answered that question. The Secretary of State has no further information.

MR. T. ELLIS

Will the hon. Gentleman try to obtain official information?

BARON H. DE WORMS

I have already said that I would.

MR. BRADLAUGH

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the natives state that the cat with which they were flogged contained bits of metal?

BARON H. DE WORMS

I must wait until I receive official information. I do not think I should go into matters on which I have no official information.