§ MR. STANGER (Kensington, N.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether Lord Selborne, in the course of his visit to Rhodesia last November, received a number of deputations who made various complaints against the Chartered Company; whether these complaints have been transmitted to the Colonial Office; whether the Government are taking or have taken any steps to remedy the grievances complained of; whether Lord Selborne has made a Report of his visit or of any 688 similar complaints made to him more recently; and whether Papers on the subject can be laid upon the Table.
§ THE UNDER - SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Manchester, N.W.Yes, Sir. Lord Selborne, in the course of his visit to Rhodesia last November, received various deputations who made certain complaints against the Chartered Company. The High Commissioner duly communicated these complaints to the Secretary of State. The proposal was made that the differences between the company and the inhabitants of Southern Rhodesia should be inquired into by a Royal Commission, but the Secretary of State is not prepared to recommend such an appointment. As Lord Elgin was informed that certain of the Directors of the Company were shortly going out to Southern Rhodesia to discuss matters of complaint with the people on the spot, he did not think it necessary to take any immediate action. No good purpose would be served by merely laying the complaints so far as they have been received in the Colonial Office.