HC Deb 06 August 1900 vol 87 cc775-6
*Sir CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the attention of the Foreign Office has been called to the statements made by Mr. Grogan in a recent paper read to the Royal Geographical Society, in which he says that in the valley above the Albert Nyanza the natives had been raided and shot

when in New Zealand ports, and also that arrangements should be made for converting certain New Zealand liners into cruisers, the equipment and munitions to be placed in a depot within the colony. He contends that owing to the altered conditions and recent events it is necessary that the Australasian squadron should be strengthened. In New Zealand alone 30,000 magazine rifles are required. Five years ago the Volunteers in the colony numbered 4,000; now they are over 11,000, and Mr. Seddon estimates that atthe end of the year they will be increased to 18,000. Mr. Seddon suggests that a military conference to-be attended by the defence Ministers and commanders of the forces of Australasia, and also by military experts from the Imperial Army, should be held. If Lord Roberts visits the colonies he will be invited to preside. Otherwise, the Imperial authorities should be asked to send a general who has taken part in the South African campaign to preside at such a, conference. The New Zealand Parliament has referred the scheme to a select committee. The outline of the scheme was sent confidentially to the Secretary of State, through the Governor, early in May. The full scheme has now been forwarded to the Secretary of State and to the Premiers of Australia and Canada.

down, and women and cattle carried off, by the Congo State soldiers, and had fled to the marshes, and that, as the territory is British, the charge against the Belgians is a serious one; and that three distinct tribes had told the same story, some of which were sixty miles from others; whether the Foreign Office had previous information as to failure to respect the British frontier on the part of the Congo State; and whether inquiry will be made.

Mr. BRODRICK

Information as to violations of the frontier has reached the Foreign Office. The facts are admitted by the State authorities, who have lost no time in expressing their regret, and will punish the offenders severely if the offence is brought home to them.