§ MR. SUMMERS (Huddersfield)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Armenian inhabitants of Zeitoun have forwarded to Sir William White a Petition in which they set forth a series of grievances against Salih Pasha, the Governor of the Province of Marash; whether this Salih Pasha is the same Salih Pasha who was implicated in the notorious massacres of Christians at Damascus; whether it is the fact, as stated in the Petition, that Salih Pasha has arrested and thrown into prison a number of peaceable Armenian travellers, and has practically left the Province at 1935 the mercy of bands of Circassian and other brigands who have received carte blanche to do as they please; and whether any inquiry has been or will be made into the truth or falsehood of the allegations contained in this Petition?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON, Manchester, N.E.)Sir William White has not reported his having received a Petition from the inhabitants of Zeitoun, but he has instructions to take such steps as he may deem advisable to ascertain the facts with regard to the disturbances at Zeitoun, respecting which the reports are very contradictory. We have no information as to the antecedents of Salih Pasha.