§ MR. MACFARLANE (Argyll)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if it is competent for the Directors of the British East Africa Company, under the terms of its Charter, to select the best and most profitable portions of the territory ceded to it and abandon the rest?
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. GREY, Northumberland, Berwick)It is quite true that the policy indicated by the hon. Member appears to have been followed of late by the Imperial British East Africa Company. But Her Majesty's Government have also observed this tendency, and I can only assure him that it is receiving their careful and vigilant attention.
§ MR. MACFARLANEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Charter of the Company contains a clause to the effect that if it fails substantially to fulfil the obligations cast upon it the Government reserve to themselves the right to withdraw it? And is not the abandonment 747 of Uganda a breach of the condition of the Charter?
§ SIR E. GREYThese subjects are under consideration in connection with proposals made by the Company to the Government.