§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEY (Derbyshire, Chesterfield)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been directed to a speech made on the 18th May at Bulawayo by Earl Grey, as Administrator of Matabeleland, reported in the Bulawayo Chronicle, in which he stated that the ill-treatment of natives by white settlers was not the least potent of the causes of the present rebellion; and whether he will call upon Sir Richard Martin for an immediate report as to the grounds of this allegation and also as to the nature of the arrangements contemplated by the authorities, and indicated in Earl Grey's speech, for securing a more regular and continuous supply of labour?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.I have not seen any detailed report of Lord Grey's speech. I gather, however, that his Lordship's remarks with regard to the ill-treatment of natives by white settlers being amongst the causes of the present rebellion referred to incidents which, in a newly-settled country the size of Central Europe, are sometimes beyond the power of any administration to prevent, and that the measures contemplated by him are intended to provide certain safeguards against the recurrence of such incidents in future. Sir Richard Martin has already been instructed to institute an inquiry into the labour question, which will, of course, include its bearing on the recent rebellion, and he will report on the nature of any fresh arrangements which may be proposed on the subject.
§ MR. JOHN ELLIS (Nottingham, Rushcliffe)asked whether the right hon. Gentleman would give his personal attention to any arrangements affecting labour before they came into force?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINMost certainly.