§ MR. R. W. PERKS (Lincolnshire, Louth)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the reason why only 68 miles of the Uganda Railway were laid up to the 18th May, as against the estimate of 100 miles mentioned in the Report of the Uganda Railway Works Committee of 10th April 1896; how many men are now engaged upon the works, and how many of these are English, and how many native workers; what length of the route of the proposed railway from Mombasa to Victoria Nyanza has now been completely surveyed; and whether it is the intention of the Government to open the first section of 68 miles, now finished, for public traffic; and if so, when?
MR. CURZONThe Report of the Committee, which I have promised to lay out at an early date, will contain all the information that we are in a position to give with regard to the question raised by the hon. Member; the difficulty of obtaining labour has been the most serious obstacle.