§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state what is the time required to transmit a message from Buluwayo to the nearest telegraph station in connection with Cape Town; whether the employés of this telegraph station are those of the Imperial Government or of the South Africa Chartered Company; and whether all messages handed in are transmitted, either favourable or otherwise, to the Chartered Company, and whether in cipher or not?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. S. BUXTON, Tower Hamlets, Poplar)A recent message seems to have reached Cape Town from Buluwayo in five days; but the usual period taken is seven or eight days, and the time of transmission obviously depends on the means of transport and the state of the roads. The telegraphists at the nearest stations to Buluwayo are in the employ of the Company. The Secretary of State has received no information which would lead him to suppose that any messages have been or are kept back.