§ SIR ELLIS ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has now received the names of the witnesses of the murder of an Englishman by the Boers, near Blauw-berg, on 2nd January; and, what steps are being taken to protect Englishmen in the Transvaal from maltreatment?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI have received the names of persons who are stated to have been witnesses to the shooting of a man supposed to belong to Dr. Jameson's force, on the 1st January. As to some of these, however, I have been placed under such restrictions as to disclosing their names as prevent my making much practical use of the information. I hope, however, with the assistance of the other persons named without restrictions, to be able to get full information as to the circumstances of this affair, and I am in communication with the High Commissioner on the subject. In reply to the second part of the question, I have to say that I am not aware that law-abiding Englishmen in the South African Republic are being subjected to maltreatment, but any circumstantial complaints made by British subjects to the High Commissioner would always receive his immediate attention.
§ SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTasked whether there was any British representative at Johannesburg to whom complaints could be addressed?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThere is no British representative there, but there is a representative at Pretoria, and, what is of more importance, there is a British representative at Cape Town in the person of the High Commissioner, to whom communications can be addressed.