SIR E. ASHMEAD-BAETLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Englishmen in the Transvaal, who were recently commandeered and imprisoned, were turned adrift by the Boer Authorities on the open veldt 200 miles from their homes?
§ MR. S. BUXTONThe assumption contained in the question is apparently based on a private letter which I have seen. I have no other information on the subject, and I decline to assume with the hon. Member that the South African Republic in regard to this matter have acted in the manner implied.
SIR E. ASHMEAD-BAETLETTasked whether the hon. Gentleman was aware that the information embodied in his question had appeared in the form of public letters in the correspondence in three of the London morning papers?
§ MR. S. BUXTONI have not seen anything in the Press about it. I have only seen a private letter.
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTWill the hon. Gentleman inquire of Her Majesty's Representative in the Transvaal whether the report is true or not?
§ MR. S. BUXTONsaid, he must decline to assume that the South African Republic were acting in contravention of their pledges on this question.