§ BARON HENRY DE WORMSI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the interview which Colonel Martin, the British Commissioner, was to have had with the Queen Regent of Swaziland has now taken place, and whether the message which Sir Henry Loch sent to the Queen Regent through Colonel Martin, to the effect that the projected meeting between Sir Henry Loch and President Kruger would probably decide the fate of Swaziland, has been so delivered; whether he adheres to the statement that such communication was a personal one, and was not made in pursuance of any instructions from Her Majesty's Government; and, if so, whether Her Majesty's Government repudiate it; whether he will now state that, before the Treaty of 1890 is allowed to lapse, and before any fresh arrangements are made by Her Majesty's Government, or any agreement is entered into with the Transvaal Government, Papers will be presented, and an opportunity given to the House to express its opinion on such policy?
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONWithout accepting the description of the message given by the right hon. Member, I have to reply that the interview has taken place. I adhere to the statement I made that the communication was a 245 personal one from the High Commissioner, Sir Henry Loch. There is no question of repudiation. The High Commissioner was acting within his powers in making the communication which he did; and, now that the full text of the message has been received, it has been approved by Her Majesty's Government. Her Majesty's Government cannot give the undertaking required in the last paragraph of the question; but Parliament will be given the earliest practicable opportunity of judging any action Her Majesty's Government may take in the matter. Papers cannot be presented at present, as such a course would be prejudicial to the interests of the negotiations.