§ SIR R. T. REID (Dumfries)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that the shareholders of the South African Chartered Company can fill up existing vacancies in the directorship as they please, he proposes to take any steps for preventing the election of persons whose complicity in the Jameson raid, and in the hostile preparations that preceded it, has been established by a Committee of this House?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.Under the new scheme the powers of the directors will be greatly limited, and they will be exercised under strict Imperial control. I do not, therefore, propose that the ordinary privilege of shareholders who invest their money in this and all similar companies to choose their own Directors shall be restricted.
§ MR. H. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to state whether new arrangements will be presented to the House before the final decision is made?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIESThe new arrangements have already been brought before the House.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREWill there be an opportunity of discussing them?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIESCertainly, Sir; on the Estimates.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREThe scheme has not been finally adopted, then, and will not be until the House has had an opportunity of discussing it?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIESI think that no final action will be taken until the House has had the opportunity of expressing its opinion, and that will be on the Estimates.