§ MR. ALFRED PEASE (Yorks, Cleveland)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any confirmation from Her Majesty's Representative at Pretoria of the charges made by Mr. John Procter in his book, "Boers and Little Englanders," against Commandant Cronje, Superintendent of Natives; Abel Erasmus, Native Commissioner; and David Schoeman, Field Cornet, who are alleged to have condemned, without pretence of trial and in violation of Article 19 of the Con- 17 vention of 1884, Toemeretsjani, Chieftainess of the Secocoeni tribe, to pay £147 10s., and inflicted on 13 of her Indunas 25 lashes each; whether he is aware that on appeal to the High Court at Pretoria, Cronje, Erasmus, and Schoeman were strongly censured by Justice Jorissen, but before the case was ended the State Attorney interfered on the part of the Government; that the Government agreed to refund to the Chieftainess £147 10s., with interest at six per cent. per annum and pay her costs, and that Cronje, Erasmus, and Schoeman were to pay the 13 Indunas £25 each as compensation, but that the money has not been paid to the Indunas, and that they not only still retain their official positions, but have been appointed by the Transvaal Executive to be a Commission to investigate matters in the district where the Chieftainess and her Indunas reside; and whether he will make inquiries, or take steps to secure redress and protection for the natives who have been maltreated?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.(1) The facts are as stated in the first part of the Question, according to the information which I have received; but I do not consider that the action of the officials, though harsh and illegal, was a violation of Article 19 of the Convention. The natives were not prevented from appealing to the High Court. (2) I understand that the statements in the second part of the Question are substantially correct, excepting that, according to the latest report received by me, the compensation to the Indunas with costs had been paid, and the compensation to the Chieftainess and costs were in course of being paid in January last, and that I have no confirmation of the statement that Messrs. Cronje, Erasmus, and Schoeman have been appointed to investigate matters in the district referred to. (3) In reply to the third part of the Question, I have to say that Her Majesty's Agent has been instructed to watch any further developments of the trial and settlement, and especially any attempt to prevent natives having access to the courts.