§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can communicate to the House any official information as to the treatment of Esau by the Boers at Calvinia.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK,) Surrey, GuildfordYes, Sir. I have had a telegram from Sir Alfred Milner in confirmation of reports from various quarters which had previously reached me. The High Commissioner states that the name of the district surgeon who reported the maltreatment of the coloured man Esau is Smuts. He has been in the service ten years. Sir A. Milner adds, "There is absolutely no doubt about the murder of Esau."
§ MR. DILLONWill the right hon. Gentleman lay Sir Alfred Milner's telegram on the Table?
§ MR. BRODRICKI have read it verbatim. I trust that that is sufficient.
§ MR. DILLONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he has any
*See The Parliamentary Debates [Fourth Series], Vol. lxxxviii., page 735.840 objection to that? The reason I ask that is because it makes no reference to the lashing of the man and the protruding of the bowels.
§ MR. BRODRICKI have read it out word for word.
§ MR. DILLONWhy not lay it on the Table, then?
§ MR. BRODRICKI will lay it on the Table.