§ SIR R. TEMPLE (Surrey, Kingston)On behalf of the Member for the Ecclesall Division of Sheffield (Sir E. Ashmead-Bartlett), I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether the Volksraad have ratified the Convention of December 1894; and, whether, in the event of the Swazis refusing to accept Boer rule, the Boers Government will be allowed by Her Majestys Government to impose Boer rule upon our Swazi allies by force of arms.
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets,) PoplarAs regards the first question, the Volksraad have ratified the Convention of 1894. As regards the second question, I have informed the hon. Gentleman that I cannot answer a hypothetical question.
§ *In reply to a further question by SIR C. DILKE.—
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONsaid that a telegram had been received reaffirming the terms of the letter of President Krüger as to the exemption of British subjects from commandeering.
§ MR. W. E. M. TOMLINSON (Preston)May I ask whether this question does not arise out of terms of the Convention with the Boer Government, and if so, how it can be a hypothetical question?
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONI do not myself understand how it arises out of the terms of the Convention of 1894.