§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the British South Africa Company has yet complied with the Order made by the Select Committee on the 11th February last, directing them to present full and detailed account of their finances and of money raised and expended by the Company in each year since the grant of the charter, detailed accounts for the years 1895 and 1896 being first supplied; a statement of the system pursued in respect of land grants and mineral concessions and the conditions attaching to the same, accompanied by a statement of the persons to whom such concessions have been made; a statement for each year of their executive and administrative staff, with the functions of the different persons employed and the cost of the same; a statement of the disposal of cattle by the Company upon the annexation of Lo Benguela's possessions in Matabeland and subsequently; and, an account of the system pursued by the Company in respect of the supply and employment of labour in the territories under their control; whether, in the event of the Order of the Committee having been complied with, the documents ordered to be produced will be printed for the information of the House; and whether, in the event of the Company having failed or refused to comply with the Order of the Committee, any attempt has been or will be made to secure the carrying out of the Order?
MR. CHAMBERLAINSome of the information asked for appears in the appendix, and, the Committee having reported, I will consider whether it is desirable to press for that part of the information which has not yet been supplied.