SIR G. BADEN-POYYELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the new agreement entered into with the Government of the South African Republic in reference to Swaziland needs, or has received, the sanction of the Volksraad; and whether its terms will he submitted to the judgment of Parliament before being finally ratified?
§ MR. S. BUXTONThe Convention has not yet been signed by Sir H. Loch. It will subsequently require the ratification of the Volksraad. So soon as the 1779 Convention has been signed, I will make a statement to the House on the subject, and lay Papers including the agreement; and this will, I hope, be before Her Majesty's final and formal ratification is despatched from this country.
§ SIR R. TEMPLE (Surrey, Kingston); Is it true that the British protectorate of Swaziland is being relinquished in favour of the Transvaal Republic?
§ MR. S. BUXTONThe British protectorate over Swaziland has not been relinquished in faxour of the Transvaal, for Great Britain never had, or professed to have, a protectorate over the country.
§ SIR R. TEMPLEI beg to give notice that I shall draw attention to this subject on the Colonial Vote.