§ MR. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to certain charges of attempted proselytism alleged against Sir J. B. Thurston, Governor of Fiji, and Her Majesty's High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, by The Catholic Times of New Zealand; whether he has any information to the effect that the official organ of the Government of Fiji has been used for the circulation of matter of an exceedingly objectionable character to the Catholics of that Colony; and whether he will take prompt steps with a view to ascertaining whether Sir J. B. Thurston has been using his official position for proselytising purposes?
§ MR. S. BUXTONMy attention has been drawn to the article referred to, as well as to the original article in Na Mata. I am not aware how far this paper is in any sense an official organ of the Fiji Government; but I am making inquiries of the Governor on the subject. If the paper is, directly or indirectly, a Government organ, the insertion of an article such as the one referred to was highly improper.