§ MR. LABOUCHEREI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies has received a letter from Mr. Arthur Douglass, a Member of the State Legislature, who is now in England, and representing the interests of Mr. Wood and others in regard to a mining concession from Lobengula granted previously to that granted to Mr. Rudd; why no answer has as yet been sent Mr. Arthur Douglass; and whether, in the event of Mr. Arthur Douglass showing that this previous concession was granted, Her Majesty's Government will see that those to whom a Royal Charter was granted, on the assumption that Lobengula could grant a mining concession to them over his entire territory, do not retain any power or any rights over such portions 1470 of the territory that are included in the previous concession?
SIR J. GORST (for Baron H. DE WORMS)The answer to the first paragraph of the question is, Yes; to the second, because his letter was received only so recently as the 19th instant; and to the third, that the matters referred to in this question and in Mr. Douglass's letter require full consideration before Her Majesty's Government expresses an opinion upon them. A reply will be sent to Mr. Douglass as soon as possible.