§ MR. BRYCEI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in view of the fact that in 1889 a Proclamation was issued by the British Governor of the Red Sea Littoral to the tribes round Suakin which contained the following passage:
I write you again so as to let you and all the tribes know clearly what the Government intend to do. As you have been often told during the past few years, the Government does not wish to interfere with the freedom pf the tribes, or to impose any taxes upon you,whether it is the fact that, when the Tokar District was re-occupied in 1891, 858 the fertile lands of the Tokar Delta were seized and re-distributed, and are now forced to pay taxes to the Egyptian Government?
* THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. J. W. LOWTHER,) Cumberland, PenrithThe Proclamation was issued nearly two years before the re-occupation of Tokar, and applied to a state of affairs which was completely modified by the latter event. The tax of 20 P.T. per acre imposed upon the Tokar lands is intended to cover the cost of seed supplied to the cultivators and construction works for the regulation of the water supply and other purposes. The lands were not re-distributed except so far as a natural re-distribution was caused by the alteration of the watercourses, which frequently occurs.
* MR. J. W. LOWTHERThe hon. Member will find considerable information on the subject in the Papers which have recently been presented in the shape of a Report from Sir Evelyn Baring.
* MR. J. W. LOWTHERIt is not intended to present any Papers, but if the right hon. Gentleman wishes any particular information and will mention it to me I will endeavour to give him what he requires.
§ MR. A. O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)What proportion will go for seed and what proportion for public works?