HC Deb 23 May 1906 vol 157 cc1269-70
MR. J. RAMSAY MACDONALD (Leicester)

On behalf of the hon. Member for the Woodstock Division of Oxfordshire I beg to ask the secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the evidence laid before the Congo Commission of Inquiry, which is in the possession of His Majesty's Government, is not in the hands of Members of this House, and, further, that Consul Mackie was specially instructed to attend the sittings of the Commission, His Majesty's Government will reconsider their refusal and make this evidence accessible to Members.

MR. MCKEAN (Monaghan, S.)

Before answering the Question, will the hon. Gentleman be good enough to inform the House whether it is not the fact that the non-publication of the evidence laid before the Congo Com mission of Inquiry was due to the express wish of that Commission itself, as recorded in its Report, and consequently that the withholding of this evidence is in no way due to the action of the Congo Government?

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

, on a point of order, asked whether this Question, affecting a Sovereign State over which this country had no control whatever, was the kind of (Question that ought to be put in the House.

MR..J. WARD (Stoke on-Trent)

Considering what has already been sanctioned I with regard to the suppression of the Natal rebellion, has this country any justification for interfering?

MR. SPEAKER

We do occasionally have Questions relating to affairs of another Sovereign State put in this House. For instance, Questions relating to Turkey and Macedonia are constantly put. Therefore I cannot rule the Question out of order.

MR. RUNCIMAN (for Sir EDWARD GREY)

I cannot answer the Supplementary Questions without notice. Mr. Mackie was not able to join the Commis- sion until February 4th, 1905, and was consequently not present at any of the sittings held in the districts which had boon the scene of the abuses reported to the late Government. His report of the evidence taken at the three sittings at which he was present subsequent to that date does not contain information of sufficient importance to justify its publication by itself.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Perhaps the Government will now furnish to the Belgian Government an explanation of its conduct in the Transvaal.