§ MR. AINSWORTH (Argyllshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies what amount is still outstanding for claims for war damage by subjects of the Crown in South Africa; how much more money will be required for this purpose beyond that already voted; and what is the machinery in South Africa for dealing with these claims.
§ MR. LYTTELTONA sum of £2,000,000 was provided out of the Transvaal Guaranteed Loan for payment of compensation for the first invasion losses in the Cape Colony and Natal. It is estimated that £561,000 will be expended in the Cape Colony out of this sum, and £1,066,000 in Natal. There will, therefore, remain asurplusafter all admitted claims have been paid in these colonies. I am unable to state what is the amount of outstanding claims in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony but the sums which have been provided out of the Imperial Exchequer, as free grants, for paying compensation in these colonies, viz., £2,000,000 for British subjects, neutral foreigners, and natives, and £3,000,000 for burghers, will not be exceeded, as they will be distributed prorata among persons entitled to share in them. Claims for compensation have been assessed in the Cape Colony and Natal by commissions appointed locally, and in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony by the Central Judicial Commission at Pretoria, presided over by a Judge of the Supreme Court of the Transvaal.
§ MR. AINSWORTHTo whom must application be made by those who consider that they have claims?
§ MR. LYTTELTONI am afraid I cannot answer that, but I can hardly doubt that the tribunal to which these matters have been referred has provided machinery by which applications may reach them.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)Has the claim of the De Beers mines been satisfied?
§ [No answer was returned.]