§ MR. CATHCART WASON (Orkney and Shetland)I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs is His Majesty's Government aware that a number of native witnesses to outrages committed by Congolese soldiers in Ikeko were, at the instances of missionaries in that district and at the request of the investigating magistrate, sent down to Boma; and will His Majesty's Government instruct the British Consul at that place to report by cable as to the allegations that these native witnesses are virtually kept as prisoners, and have in some cases been compelled to labour on behalf of the Congo Government.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Earl PERCY, Kensington, S.)No Sir, we have no information on the subject. If the hon. Member will acquaint me with the source of the allegations I will make inquiry.