§ MR. J. M, ROBERTSONI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the number of natives killed by order of court martial or otherwise in connection with the native disturbances in Natal; and how far the forces of the Crown have been employed either in enforcing the demand for a poll tax, or in repressing disturbances arising out of such demand.
§ MR. CHURCHILLUp to the present I have only been informed of two natives having been shot after trial by court martial for assisting and taking part in the murder of an inspector and trooper of the Natal European Police Force. The battalion of Imperial troops which has been sent to Natal has not been actively employed in connection with the disturbances.
§ MR. MITCHELL-THOMSON (Lanarkshire, N. W.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether lie has any official information showing that the native unrest in South Africa is being manufactured in order to provide a pretext for taking from the natives the reservation lands set apart for them.
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo, Sir. The Secretary of State certainly has no such information.
§ MR. MITCHELL-THOMSONMay I ask whether information which renders possible such an inference of corrupt motives is contrary to the official information, and therefore, presumably, contrary to the fact?
§ MR. CHURCHILLI said the Secretary of State had no information which would tend to support the stories inquired of by the hon. Member in his Question. I do not gather what further statement the hon. Member requires. We have no information on the subject.