§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now say definitely whether any instructions have been sent to Hilmi Pasha from Constantinople directing that the European officers of gendarmerie in Macedonia shall not receive any complaints from the inhabitants; and, if so. when and by whose authority such instructions were issued; and whether His Majesty's Government have protested against such a breach of the understanding arrived at when the European officers were sent.
§ EARL PERCYThe Grand Vizier informed Sir N. O'Conor on the 13th June that he was not aware of any instructions having been sent to Hilmi Pasha in the sense indicated. It is of course the right and duty of the gendarmerie officers to accept all petitions bearing directly upon the gendarmerie scheme; but they are clearly not competent nor have they the time to deal with petitions or complaints relating to matters which fall within the province of the Civil Assessors.
§ MR. BRYCEIs it true that the Government of Russia and Austria have lately increased the number of their officers in the gendarmerie?
§ EARL PERCYI do not think there has been any increase.
§ MR. BRYCEAs this Answer was given on the 13th June, has it not been possible to make subsequent inquiries to ascertain whether or not the orders were issued?
§ EARL PERCYI think we may take it that they were not issued. At all events there has been no attempt to carry them out.