HC Deb 02 November 1893 vol 18 cc1-3
MR. PAUL (Edinburgh, S.)

I wish to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies a question of which I have given him private notice—Whether he has seen the report of an interview between Colonel Sir Frederick Carrington and a representative of Reuter's agency, published in the newspapers of Monday last, in which Sir Frederick Carrington expressed himself as follows:— Now things have gone so far, the Matabele must be crushed. There will never be peace, progress, or real work until they are removed. They are a standing menace to the peace of the country. And, more than this, they must not only be defeated, but also driven out of the country; the sooner the better. They will never work, so it is useless to think of re- taining them to assist in the development of the country. They are absolutely no good, and never have been; whether Sir Frederick was authorised by the Government to make such a statement or to grant such an interview; whether his views were those of the Government or his own; and in what character Sir Frederick Carrington has been sent to the Cape?

MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)

Perhaps, at the same time, the hon. Gentleman will say whether any further reliable information has been received from the Cape as to what is going on there?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. S. BUXTON,) Tower Hamlets, Poplar

In reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, I have to say that my attention has been drawn to the reported newspaper interview with Sir F. Carrington before he sailed. He was certainly not authorised by the Government either to grant the interview or to make the statement. The views he expressed are solely his own personal opinions. Sir F. Carrington has been sent out to the Cape purely in a military capacity, and he will have nothing to do with the politics of the question. In regard to the question of the hon. Member for Northampton, I have no further intelligence than that communicated to the Press last night as coming from Sir H. Loch. An error was made in deciphering that telegram. It ought to have read that Major Gould-Adam's column had not been engaged, as far as Sir Henry then knew, instead of that it had been engaged.