§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, on 6th June, 1896, the cablegrams and letters known as the Rhodes-Hawksley correspondence were, at the Colonial Secretary's request, delivered to him by Mr. Hawksley, who wrote then a covering letter; whether copies of this correspondence have in accordance with 904 practice been retained at the Colonial Office; and, if not, can he say why they have not been so retained; has Mr. Hawksley's covering letter been retained at the Colonial Office; and was there a subsequent correspondence between Mr. Hawksley and the Colonial Secretary; and, whether the Colonial Secretary will now publish the correspondence between himself and Messrs. Rhodes and Hawksley.
§ The SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. Chamberlain,) Birmingham, W.I know of no correspondence which can properly be described as the Rhodes Hawksley correspondence, and I have never had any correspondence with Mr. Rhodes in connection with the Jameson raid. I have repeatedly stated that copies of the cables which passed between England and South Africa were sent to me for confidential perusal and return, and were returned accordingly, no copies being kept. The majority of those cables were subsequently produced by the cable company to the Committee of Inquiry. The substance of the covering letter and my reply was stated to the Committee. Several letters passed subsequently between MR. Hawksley and myself which I have offered to show to the Leader of the Opposition and to the right hon. Member for West Monmouthshire if they desire it. I see no reasons for publishing these letters.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLIs there a "Hawksley-Chamberlain" correspondence or not?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!