§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeenshire, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will inform himself and state to the House by whom proceedings have been taken against Mr. Albert Cartwright, editor of the South African News, and what these proceedings ate; whether he is charged with reprinting in his paper treatment a, letter alleging that on a, particular February occasion Lord Kitchener had given instructions that General De Wet's force when surrounded should not be allowed to surrender; and, if so, whether he is aware that the letter making this charge had already appeared in the Freeman's Journal of 15th January, and the part of 556 it conveying this charge in the London Times of 10th January.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI received a despatch yesterday from the Governor of the Cape Colony, from which it appears that proceedings were taken by the Attorney General of the Cape Colony on the charge of publishing a defamatory and seditious libel. The answer to the second and third questions is in the affirmative.
§ MR. H J. WILSON (Yorkshire, W.R., Holmfirth)Is it proposed to take similar proceedings against the London Times and the Freeman's Journal?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThat is not a question which should be addressed to me.