§ MR. BUCHANANI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to secure payment of an indemnity for war expenses from the Transvaal mines.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Sir M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.I presume the hon. Member's question refers to the contribution towards the cost of the war which we hope to obtain from the Transvaal. I do not think it would be accurately described as an indemnity from the mines, but it would be quite premature at present to make a statement as to the precise manner in which such a contribution should be obtained.
§ MR. BUCHANANWill the Government take steps, when the British authorities at Johannesburg allow the general resumption of mining operations, to see that such conditions are imposed upon them as to take security for the payment of a part of this money?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHThat is not our idea of the matter. Our idea is that the contribution to be provided by the Transvaal should be provided by the taxation of the country, which, of course, must necessarily fall to a large extent on the mines; but that is a different matter from what the hon. Member suggests.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLDoes the right hon. Gentleman remember that on 23rd October he promised that the mines would be expected to pay for the war?✶
§ SIR. M. HICKS BEACHI did not say that.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLThen what did you say?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHI said exactly what I have stated to-day.