§ MR. MARKHAMI beg to ash the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any information that compulsory labour is again being enforced in Rhodesia, and seeing that Sir Richard Martin reported to the late Lord Rosmead in January, 1897, that one of the causes of the Rhodesian rebellion of 1896 was due to the Chartered Company's officials, with the knowledge of the Company, obtaining compulsory labour by force, whether His Majesty's Government will order an inquiry into the causes which have again necessitated their sending armed forces to assist this Company in suppressing rebellion among the native population.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI have no such information. I am not aware of any rebellion among the native population, nor of any despatch of armed forces by His Majesty's Government to assist the Company in an emergency which has not arisen.
§ MR. MARKHAMArising out of that answer, and following on my Question to the Secretary for War, may I ask whether any communication passed between the War Office and the right hon. Gentleman on the date mentioned—March 1st, 1900, in reference to the rebellion in Rhodesia.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThat has nothing to do with the Question on the Paper, which refers to the present time. The hon. Member is now referring to something that took place two and a half years ago.
§ MR. MARKHAMMy Question is whether the Government will order an inquiry into the causes which necessitated sending armed forces to the assistance of the Chartered Company in 1900. I will put another Question.