§ Sir GEORGE WHITEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the facts that the Belgian Government's Decree of 22nd March last, embodying that Government's reform scheme for the Congo, and the Colonial Council's explanatory preamble thereto, make no provision for a recognition of Native tribal and communal rights in the land, but maintain, in its essential features, the policy in respect to land in- 2285 augurated by the Congo Government in 1892; that they invest the Congo Administration with the power of alienating land and of conferring a monopoly in the exploitation of its fruits upon third parties, and also of withdrawing from the Native communities the faculty of trading in the land's produce where such may have been granted; whether he is aware that the documents reaffirm the exclusion of the concessionnaire areas from freedom of trade; and whether, in the opinion of His Majesty's Government, such measures are compatible, both as regards Native rights and freedom of commerce, with the International Acts relating to the Congo to which this country is a signatory party?
Mr. McKINNON WOODIt would not be possible within the limits of an answer to discuss the many important points of controversy raised in the question. These have, besides, been the subject of recent debate. As has been stated before, His Majesty's Government will carefully watch the working out of the Belgian Government's scheme of reform for the Congo. At present His Majesty's Government are not prepared to express an opinion as to whether the proposed reforms are likely to prove satisfactory and sufficient.