MR. J. A. PEASE (Essex, Romford)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government are proposing to reconstruct or abolish the system of paying compensation to the owners for slaves freed in the Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, as recommended by Mr. Commissioner Last in his Despatch of 10th January, 1901.
§ *VISCOUNT CRANBORNEHis Majesty's Government are not proposing to take steps in the direction indicated. Such action lies, in the first instance, within the competence of the Zanzibar Government, and it appears from the Memorandum, printed at page 33 of Africa, No. 4, 1901, that Sir Lloyd Matthews contemplates advising the reduction of the average compensation by about one-half.
§ *VISCOUNT CRANBORNEThe hon. Member could not have heard the first part of my answer, in which I say "the Government are not proposing to take steps in the direction indicated."