§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received an authentic report of the speech made at Boma, in the Congo, by the Belgian Colonial Minister on 10th May last; whether he has made it the subject of any representations to the Belgian Government in view of its claim that Belgium alone is responsible for the government of the Congo, and of the statement that that government is to be conducted on the lines established by the late Congo Free State; and whether, in view of this speech, His Majesty's Government still proposes to wait until the new year to see what the effect is to be of the visit of the Belgian Colonial Minister to the Congo?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The speech appeared to be of a complimentary nature made at a banquet on the Minister's arrival in the Congo. I do not understand it to be a considered declaration of policy on the part of the Belgian Government; it certainly cannot embody the experience of a tour in the Congo which had not begun when the speech was made, and I do not propose to depart from the decision of His Majesty's Government as already announced to the House.
§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDHas any communication passed between His Majesty's Government and the Belgian Government in reference to this matter?
§ Sir E. GREYNothing has passed in reference to this matter.
§ Mr. MITCHELL-THOMSONasked when further Papers will be laid upon the Table dealing with affairs of the Congo?
§ Sir E. GREYThere will be no further Papers of interest to be laid until there has been further correspondence with the Belgian Government consequent upon the return of their Colonial Minister, as con- 172 templated in the last Papers laid before Parliament and in my speech on the Foreign Office Vote on July 22nd.