HC Deb 30 May 1895 vol 34 cc630-1
MR. ARNOLD-FORSTER

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, when he proposes to lay upon the Table of the House the correspondence and other documents relating to the punishment, without trial, of British Indian subjects resident in the Transvaal?

MR. SYDNEY BUXTON

I propose shortly to lay the Papers relating to the psition of British Indian subjects in the South African Republic. They are not yet quite complete. I must, however, demur to the inference put upon the matter in question by the hon. Gentleman.

MR. ARNOLD-FORSTER

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet received any information with regard to the case of the Indians in the employment of Messrs. Harvey, stated to have been "cleared out" of the town of Krugersdorp in January last by a Boer field cornet of the name of Bodinstein; whether he is aware that the British subjects in question have just received verbal notice to quit; and whether such notice to quit, served without trial or evidence of an offence committed, is in accordance with Boer law?

MR. SYDNEY BUXTON

We have now received a dispatch on the subject in reply to our inquiry. The case referred to appears to be that of Ibrahim Mahomed Patel, who attempted to open a store at Krugersdorp. The trader was instructed by the Magistrates to remove his goods—and this he did. The proceedings were, no doubt, taken under a law of the South African Republic of 1885, amended in 1886, in virtue of which the South African Republic claim the right to prohibit Asiatics from trading, except in locations set aside for that special purpose. The hon. Member is aware that I am about to lay papers relating to the case of the Indians, and the dispatch just received will be included in the Blue Book.