§ * MR. REESI beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that Messrs. Kennelly and Foster have announced that, as lions have taken complete command at Chiromo and suburbs, and unsettled native labourers to such an extent that they cannot carry on work in and around the township, they are reluctantly compelled to wind up their affairs after fulfilling their existing engagements; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made into the correctness of the information supplied to him as to the exaggeration of the damage done by lions in and around Chiromo.
§ MR. CHURCHILLSuch an announcement has in fact been made in the local press by Messrs. Kennelly and Foster, but the Commissioner is not certain whether the presence of lions is the solo and absolute cause of the dissolution of partnership between these gentlemen and of their withdrawal from business. He is 1556 indeed not wholly able to free his mind from the suspicion that the statement referred to contains some flavour of levity, which would, as my hon. friend will I am sure agree, be out of place in dealing with such a painful subject. Careful inquiry will, however, be made.