§ MR. MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether it is still intended to appoint a Joint Committee to inquire into the offences of the Chartered Company, or whether the Committee will consist exclusively of Members of the House of Commons; and, whether the Committee is to be empowered to sit during the recess or prorogation of Parliament?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT (Monmouthshire W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, when searching Inquiry into the origin and circumstances of the invasion of the Transvaal by forces under the control of the British South Africa Company, promised in the Queen's Speech, will be instituted?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe House is aware that Her Majesty's Government have promised to make proposals for a further Inquiry to the House as soon as the trial of Dr. Jameson is concluded. I am very desirous that this Inquiry shall be divested of anything approaching a party character, and I propose, therefore, to take the usual means to find out the general feeling of the House in regard to this matter, in the hope that a 73 unanimous agreement may be arrived at, both with regard to the form of the Inquiry and the terms of the reference. ["Hear, hear!"]
§ MR. FLYNNdesired to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies a Question he addressed to the right hon. Member on Tuesday, which at his request he postponed till to-day, but which from some reason did not appear in to-day's Paper. It was, whether the promised Inquiry into the administration of the Chartered Company of British South Africa would include an investigation into the origin and the events of the present alleged rising of the Native races in Matabeleland?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI have already answered this inquiry by saying I shall endeavour to come to a general agreement as to the terms of reference. As far as the Government are concerned I am quite willing to include the subject named by the hon. Gentleman.
§ SIR ELLIS ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether the Dispatches published in Saturday's papers as addressed by the Boer Government to Her Majesty's Government, and demanding the prosecution of Mr. Cecil Rhodes and others and the revocation of the charter are genuine; and, if so, what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take with regard to such demands?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe telegrams have been received in the terms in which they were published by the Government of the South African Republic. As regards the second part of the question, the hon. Member will remember that objection was taken to the publication of a Dispatch in this country of which only a summary had been received by the Transvaal Government. I am, therefore, unwilling to give any information as to the tenor of the reply now sent until I hear that it has been received by the Government of the South African Republic.