§ MR. MUNRO FERGUSON (Leith, Burghs)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the report given in the telegraphic columns of the Times of the 8th inst. is correct, to the effect that it had been officially announced at Pretoria, in the Transvaal,
That the Imperial Government had decided with regard to the Grobler-Khama incident, that the Chief Khama was guilty of an assault, and that he is therefore adjudged to pay Grobler's widow the sum of £200 annually;whether he is aware that, before the occurrence of the above incident, the High Commissioner had instructed his Deputy Commissioner for Bechuanaland Protectorate in words to the following effect: that Khama was an independent chief, that Khama was quite strong enough himself to deal with refractory subordinate chiefs, and that if any Boers entered his country and took part against him, he should expel them (C. 5237, pp. 7, 8); if he will state what was the status of the Commissioner from the Transvaal who was present at the inquiry held in the Protectorate by Sir Sydney Shippard; and what further steps have been taken to settle this macter; and, if a decision has been arrived at, as announced at Pretoria, upon what is that decision based?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Baron H. de WORMS, Liverpool, Toxteth)In answer to the first question put by the hon. Member, I have to state that the telegram is not accurate. Khama himself had nothing to do with the death of Mr. Grobler. The acts in respect of which Her Majesty's Government decided that £200 per annum should be paid as compensation to Mr. Grobler's widow, were those of Khama's native 1852 policemen. The words in the second question are correctly quoted; but as Mr. Grobler was a Consul returning to his own country, and not a freebooter, they do not apply. In answer to the third question, the Transvaal Commissioner was engaged in making an independent inquiry for the information of his own Government. With regard to the last question, the matter is settled by the Government of the South African Republic having fully accepted, on the behalf of its citizens concerned, the compensation awarded as stated to Mrs. Grobler, with a gratuity of £250 to Mr. Lotrie, who was wounded on the same occasion. Papers on the subject are about to be presented to Parliament.