HC Deb 07 May 1901 vol 93 cc929-31
MR. JOHN ELLIS (Nottinghamshire, Rushcliffe)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can how inform the House as to the number and situation †See preceding volume, page 897. ‡ See Debates, Fourth Series, Vol. xc, pages 1250 and 1357. of the camps of concentration formed by the military in the Orange River Colony, Natal, and Cape Colony respectively; how many men, women, and children are confined in each; and what have been the figures of mortality therein.

MR. BRODRICK

Refugee camps have been established in the Orange River Colony at Brandfort, Vredefort Road, Bloemfontein, Winburg, Spring-fontein, Heilbron, Kroonstad, Eden-burg, and Harrismith. The numbers in these camps are as follows:—Men, 2,814; women, 5,621; children, 11,245. Deaths from February were:—Men, 41; women, 80; children, 261. In Natal there are camps at Maritzburg and Howick, the numbers at which on 21st March were as follows:—Men, 236; women, 826; children, 1,462. I have no statistics as to the mortality in these two camps, nor have I yet received the information the hon. Member desires as to the camps in Cape Colony.

MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the men, women, and children now in refuge or prison camps in South Africa are free to leave when they desire to do so; whether, in any case, permission has been refused to relatives to take charge of women and children who were in the camp; and whether relatives of persons in the camps are allowed free access to the camps.

MR. BRODRICK

In the Transvaal and Orange River Colony and Natal any self-supporting refugees or those who have friends or relatives able and willing to house and support them are accorded permission to live in town; but the difficulties of subsistence in a country in a state of war preclude this permission being largely taken advantage of. Refugees are allowed to visit the town adjacent to the camp in which they reside without a pass, except when for military reasons a pass is considered necessary. On application to the head office or local superintendent, admission to camp has been granted to visitors who desire such privilege. We have not yet got the information from Cape Colony.

MR. DILLON

Why has it taken so long to get this information?

MR. BRODRICK

I cannot say,