HC Deb 06 August 1896 vol 43 c1693
MR. M. M. BHOWNAGGREE (Bethnal Green, N.E.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a petition has been received by the Foreign Office from the widow of Dr. S. R. Boyce, a Parsee medical officer lately employed under Her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul General in British Central Africa, who lost his life in a slave expedition, near Lake Nyassa, for a maintenance allowance for herself and her two infant children; and whether, in view of the fact that in attacking the slave dhows, the commander of the expedition having been killed and the second officer severely wounded, Dr. Boyce led the men, and fell a victim to treachery on the part of the Native Chief Makinjira, the Foreign Office will take such petition into favourable consideration, and grant a maintenance allowance to Dr. Boyce's widow and children, who have been left utterly destitute by his death?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. GEORGE CURZON,) Lancashire, Southport

Yes, Sir; I am happy to inform the hon. Member that, in reply to representations from the Foreign Office, the Treasury have recognised the meritorious character of the case to which he alludes, and have granted a pension of £33 6s. 8d. per annum to the widow of Dr. Boyce, together with a gratuity of £23 for her two children.