§ MR CHARLES HOBHOUSE (Bristol, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the. Colonies whether he can explain why the price paid for 20,000 Basuto ponies was officially assessed at £262,990, on an average of over £13 each, while the average value in the Leribe district of Basutoland was £20, in the Berea district £16 10s., in the Maseru district £20, 28 in the Mafeteng district £16, in the Mohalo district £22 10s., in the Quthing district £16, and in the Quacha's Nek district £20, according to the official report on Basutoland issued in December 1901.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINIf the hon. Member will look at page 11 of the Report he is quoting he will see that the number of horses assessed at £262,000 was 15,684, and not 20,000, making an average price of over £16, not £13. I have no reason to question the accuracy of this estimate.