§ MR. LAWRENCEI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is correct as reported that the Ilorin Tribe, after inviting Governor Carter, of Lagos, to visit them, has refused to receive him; whether there is any reason to think this change of policy is due to any action of the Niger Company; and whether the Governments of Lagos and of the Oil Rivers District are satisfied with the action of the Royal Niger Company in its dealings with the tribes which dwell on the confines of their districts?
§ MR. S. BUXTONWe have received no information either in corroboration or contradiction of the paragraph which has appeared in the newspapers. Even if any change of feeling on the part of the Ilorin chiefs has unfortunately occurred, Her Majesty's Government have no reason to suppose that it is in any way to be attributed to any action on the part of the Royal Niger Company. As a matter of fact, the Company strongly repudiate the insinuation contained in the telegram; and state that they not only have no objection to the Governor's visit, but believe that it will tend to confirm and strengthen their influence in Ilorin, which is within their sphere of operations. Her Majesty's Government have received no complaints from the Lagos Government against any proceedings of the Royal Niger Company in relation to the border tribes. The Oil Rivers District is under the Foreign Office.