§ Mr. SMEATONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the frontier force raised and commanded by British officers in the Republic of Liberia for policing the frontier bad been recently disbanded; if so, could he make any statement as to the circumstances which led up to its disband- 14 ment; and was it intended to re-establish the force?
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The disbandment of the force was necessitated by the inability of the Liberian Government to keep it in regular pay, and the consequent discontent of the men composing it. It is stated that the Liberian Government are enrolling a small frontier police force under Liberian officers, but I am not otherwise aware of their intentions as regards the re-establishment of the force.
§ Mr. SMEATONIs that force sufficiently strong to police the country?
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODI am unable to say.
Sir GILBERT PARKERWas this force supplied or controlled by this Government, or was it a force of volunteers controlled entirely by the Liberian Government?
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODIt was not supplied by this Government, but there were British and European officers.
§ Mr. McKINNON WOODOh no.