§ *SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT, Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies what native chiefs have petitioned against the annexation of British Bechuanaland to the Cape Colony; and, whether he will state the main grounds of their petition?
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONThe petitions are from Montsioa and Molala. I do not think it desirable to attempt to summarise the statements of the petitions, which are written in good English, and are identical in terms. The accuracy of some, of these statements is impugned, and will require examination.
§ *SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked the right hon. Gentleman if he would place the petitions in a form accessible to the Members of the House; and whether the chiefs Montsioa and 1383 Mankoroane—I understand these are chiefs referred to—were the same chiefs who suffered so much in 1881 for their fidelity to Great Britain?
§ MR. BUXTONsaid, he was afraid he could not answer in regard to Montsioa, but certainly Molala was not one of those who suffered. No doubt these petitions would be included in a Blue Book.