HC Deb 28 May 1897 vol 49 cc1516-7
SIR JOHN KENNAWAY (Devon, Honiton)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's representatives in the Coast strip of the British East Africa Protectorate have been in the habit of issuing formal documents giving to the bearers permission to proceed to given places to search for slaves, on which permits they have levied a fee; and, whether runaway slaves fetched by soldiers in British employ, as wanted by the Commissioner, with letters signed by the Commissioner, have after their surrender been taken before British Courts for proof of ownership, and, after proof, handed over to their masters?

*SIR CHARLES DILKE

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is acquainted with the manner in which Her Majesty's Representatives administering the Coast strip of the British East Africa Protectorate over a length of 200 miles have hitherto exercised the discretion vested in them to claim or not to claim fugitive slaves; whether British subjects have been compelled to surrender fugitive slaves by the British authorities, and have in fact surrendered great numbers of such slaves; and whether the recent direction to Her Majesty's Representatives to conform to the terms of the Brussels Act will prevent such practices in future?

*MR. CURZON

Under the system which till lately prevailed in the mainland dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar, legally held slaves who had run away without justification or excuse were restored to their owners. More recently the British Administrator has received instructions to exercise his discretion in each case as it occurs. The hon. Member is no doubt aware that the abolition of the legal status of slavery is confined to the insular dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar. It would not at present be possible to carry into effect such a measure on the mainland. Her Majesty's Representatives have instructions to conform to the provisions of the Brussels Act; but as I pointed out the other day, they do not apply to the majority of the cases to which allusion appears to be made in the two Questions.