§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the request made by the Natal troops to Colonel Mackenzie that no surrenders should be received from Zulu natives against whom military operations are being conducted; and whether he proposes to take any action to ensure that the granting of quarter to surrendering foes, as provided for in the code which regulates warfare, shall be observed.
§ MR. LONSDALEBefore the hon. Gentleman answers that Question, may I ask whether his attention has been called to the disgraceful letter of the hon. Member?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder ! The hon. Member ought to know that that Question is inadmissible. He submitted it to me, and I declined to allow it to appear on the Paper. The hon. Member ought not to have asked it.
§ R. CHURCHILLI have seen the report in a press telegram to which the hon. Member refers. I cannot tell how far it is well-founded. But even if a cry of " No Prisoners were raised by individual troopers in a moment of excitement and under intense provocation that fact is in itself a proof that an opposite policy towards surrendering Zulus was being pursued by the officers in responsible command and that mercy is being accorded to those who wish to surrender.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIEasked whether the hon. Gentleman could say what number of coloured people had been picked up wounded as compared with those who were killed.
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo, Sir, I can only refer the hon. Gentleman to the Answer I gave him last week, which was as full as I could make it.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIEWill the hon. Gentleman cause inquiries to be made? We have daily reports of the number of natives killed, but nothing is said as to the number picked up wounded. I will put the Question down again this day week.
§ MR. LUPTON (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)asked whether the hon. Gentleman had any information as to how many more Kaffirs it was intended to kill before they brought this war to a close.
§ [No Answer was returned.]