HC Deb 09 May 1906 vol 156 cc1297-8
MR. J. WARD

I beg to ask the Under - Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can say under what law the native chief Bambaata has been declared an outlaw, and a price placed upon his head; what was his original act of rebellion; if captured, what court will try him for the offences charged against him; and what action the Secretary of State for the Colonies has taken to secure the Imperial reservation lands belonging to the innocent part of his tribe from illegal confiscation.

THE UNDER-SECRETAEY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL, Manchester, N.W.

): The offer of a reward for Bambaata was, I understand, made as an executive act and not under any law. It has since been withdrawn by the Natal Government. The information the Secretary of State has received from the Governor is that a serious faction fight took place some time ago between two divisions of the tribe of which Bambaata is the Chief. The case was tried in the civil courts, and it was found that Bambaata had been fomenting these disturbances. It was decided to relieve Bambaata of the control of his tribe. Taking advantage of the general disturbed condition of the country, he refused to submit himself to the authority of the Government and declined to leave his kraal when summoned to Maritzburg. I am not in a position to give a definite Answer to the third Question, but the presumption is that he will be tried by a civil court. There is no question of illegal confiscation of any of the land to which the hon. Member refers as "Imperial reservation lands" but which is, I understand, more properly described as land administered under the Natal Native Trust for the use of natives. A new chief was appointed for the main section of the tribe, which remained loyal to the Government, and the rest, 261 huts in all, have been placed under the jurisdiction of other chiefs.

MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that Bambaata is merely a passive resistor?