§ MR. BUCHANAN (Perthshire, E.)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether the proposed payment of £60,000 to the Rhodesia Railways, Limited, is the award of the arbitrators, and, if so, who were the arbitrators; whether the War Office originally offered £24,000 in satisfaction; and whether we pay an annual subsidy to this company of £20,000 a year, and on what grounds.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Arnold-Forster.) A settlement was arrived at without carrying the matter to arbitration. The War Office at one stage of the negotiations made an offer of £24,817 in respect of certain claims, but other claims amounting to £23,000 were not covered by this offer. As regards the latter part of the Question I must refer the hon. Member to Sessional Paper 277, of 1894. I am prepared to deal fully with the matter in Committee of Supply if necessary.