MR. R. G. WEBSTERI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that Her Majesty's Government, under Treaties with the Great Powers, have agreed to promote railways in Africa to develope that country, he is in a position to inform the House what steps the Government propose to take this Session in this matter?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. SYDNEY BUXTON,) Tower Hamlets, PoplarI do not agree in the accuracy of the hon. Gentleman's premise in regard to the Brussels General Act. But I may state that as regards West Africa the construction of Railways in the West African Colonies is under careful consideration. Surveys have been made at Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast, and are now in course of execution at Lagos. If it be finally decided that railways are practicable and expedient at these places they will probably be constructed by the Colonies concerned at their own cost; and there will, therefore, be no occasion nor necessity to come to Parliament with respect to them. As regards South Africa, the House had already been informed that Her Majesty's Government arrived last year at an agreement with the British South Africa Company and the Bechuanaland Railway Company, whereby, on the completion of sections of the line of railway through the Bechuanaland Protectorate, a subsidy would be given by the Bechuanaland Government to the line, and, within certain limits of time, it rests with those Companies to commence the work. The Natal railway is being extended to Johannesburg under agreement between the Natal Government and the South African Republic; and permission has lately been given to certain gentlemen in Natal to make a 1093 railway from the Natal border into zululand.