§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Mr. Schreiner has made representations to Her Majesty's Government with a view to prevent the Boer prisoners of war being sent to St. Helena; if so, what reply has the Government made; is this removal to a distant island necessary for the safe custody of these prisoners; and, if not, why are they to be sent to the island; and will Mr. Schreiner's letter and the reply of Her Majesty's Government be laid upon the Table of the House.
§ MR. FLAVIN (Kerry, N.)had the following question on the Paper: To ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Mr. Schreiner, Prime Minister of Cape Colony, has issued a protest to the Imperial Government against the deportation of Boer prisoners to St. Helena; and whether any reply to such protest has been given; and, if so, would he state the substance of the reply.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.It is the fact that Mr. Schreiner expressed objection to the removal of the 932 prisoners to St. Helena, and that objection was communicated to Her Majesty's Government. Her Majesty's Government, having given the fullest consideration to the whole subject, do not see their way to alter their policy of sending a certain number of these prisoners to St. Helena.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt was dictated in part by military considerations.