§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Governor of the Gold Coast has instructions to report to the Colonial Department every six months; and, if so, has he done so since the 28th July, 1891, and how often; has he stated how many political prisoners are now confined in that Colony, and what are the causes of their detention; are there any who have been tried by the ordinary law, and any who are detained under Ordinances of the Gold Coast Legislative Council; and, if so, how many respectively; have any died in confinement since 1883; and, if so, how many; has any Report been made as to the imprisonment of Geraldo de Lima and others who have been detained without trial; have they been brought to trial or released; and if still in prison, will they be tried by the ordinary law or released?
§ MR. S. BUXTONThe answer to the first question is in the affirmative. There are still five political prisoners de- 209 tained by the Gold Coast Government besides seven from Sierra Leone. They have not been tried under the ordinary law, but are detained under special Ordinances. Four prisoners have died in confinement since 1883. As regards the case of Giraldo de Lima and the other prisoners, I fear that a complete answer cannot well be given within the compass of a reply across the Table, but I shall be very glad to send the hon. Member all the information he may require.