§ MR. THOMAS BAYLEYI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether contracts for porters for caravans carrying stores or other Government material between the coast and Uganda are offered for public tender in Zanzibar; and, if not, how such contracts are arranged: (2) what steps the Government intend to take to prevent contractors leaving sick porters to die of starvation, or to be killed and eaten by wild beasts, as stated by Bishop Tucker to be the fact; and, (3) whether the Government have any information with respect to the fact that the regulation load was much exceeded in the steamer caravan?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. GEORGE CURZON,) Lancashire, SouthportIn the exceptional cases where the system of contract is employed, public tenders have not been invited in Zanzibar. The method would be an unsuitable one, owing to the absolute necessity for the work of local experience and resources. The only statements known to have been made by Bishop Tucker on the subject are those in a missionary publication of January, concerning which I informed the hon. Member on the 13th ultimo that we had made inquiries. In answer to the third paragraph, Her Majesty's Government have no such information.