§ SIR JOSEPH LEESE (Lancashire, Accrington)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government have been approached with the object of granting a further loan to the Transvaal Government.
§ MR. CHURCHILLGeneral Both a has informed the Secretary of State that it is the intention of his Government to propose to the Transvaal Legislature a Bill authorising a loan of £5,000,000 upon the credit of the Transvaal, for the purposes inter alia of irrigation works, for completing railway development, for the establishment of a land bank, and generally in pursuance of the policy of £35,000,000 guaranteed loan. He has asked His Majesty's Government whether they would be willing to assist the Transvaal Government by an Imperial guarantee. Having regard to the special circumstances which distinguish the Transvaal at the present time from every other responsible self-governing Colony, His Majesty's Government have intimated their willingness in principle to afford such a guarantee if and when the necessary legislation shall have been passed by the Transvaal Legislature.
§ MR. DALZIEL (Kirkcaldy Burghs)Has no mention been made in these discussions of the £30,000,000?
§ MR. CHURCHILLreplied in the negative, and was understood to add that the Government had already announced that they had relinquished that claim.