§ MR. SCOTT (Lancashire, Leigh)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the statement in a telegram from Bloemfontein, of Sunday last, to the effect that it has been decided for military reasons to destroy the crops and remove the cattle of all persons in the southern district of the Free State, recently over-run by the Boers; and whether he will state what measures will be taken to supply the means of subsistence to the families of the persons whose whole food supply has thus been destroyed, and to enable them to till the ground and sow their crops when all the farm animals have been removed.
§ * MR. WYNDHAMI have to thank the hon. Gentleman for sending me a copy of the telegraphic despatch in the Manchester Guardian on which the question is based. Nothing is known officially of the matter. The Secretary of State has the fullest confidence that Lord Roberts will properly exercise the discretion vested in him.