HC Deb 24 May 1901 vol 94 c1109
MR. DILLON

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can now give the information as to number of farms burned by the Boers in Cape Colony.

MR. BRODRICK

No information has yet been forwarded from South Africa as to the number of farms burned by the Boers in Cape Colony.

MR. DILLON

But on the 26th April the right hon. Gentleman told me, in reply to a similar question, that information had been received, and was now in the printers' hands.

MR. BRODRICK

Not as regards Cape Colony. The hon. Member must have misunderstood. I was referring to the general question of farm burning.

MR. DILLON

I have looked up the Papers. The question dealt distinctly with the burning of farms in Cape Colony by the Boers, and the right hon. Gentleman's answer was distinctly that the information had been received, and was in the printers' hands.†

MR. BRODRICK

If I did make that reply I must have intended it to apply to the general question, and to refer to the Return which is now before the House.

MR. DILLON

Will the right hon. Gentleman now obtain the information, which he has frequently promised?

MR. BRODRICK

I suppose the hon. Member is referring to the burning of farms by the Boers. I do not know that Lord Kitchener can give that information.