§ Sir G. WHITEasked when the promised Reports from His Majesty's Consular officers in the Congo State will be presented to Parliament?
§ Sir E. GREYThe Reports will be presented to Parliament very shortly, certainly before the end of the month.
§ Sir G. WHITEasked whether the attention of His Majesty's Government has been drawn to Article 1 of the Convention of May last between the Belgian Government and the Abir Congo Concessionnaire Company, whereby that company has been granted the privilege of exploiting the rubber throughout the whole extent of its original concession for another eighteen months; whether His Majesty's Government is aware that this company is now shipping rubber from its concession and sending out to the Congo a number of its ex-officials; and whether, having regard to the record of this company in its treatment of the natives, His Majesty's Government has thought fit to communicate with the Belgian Government on the subject?
§ Sir E. GREYThe Report of the Colonial Council, dated 15th July last, and published with the decrees, shows that for eighteen months rubber may not be gathered in the former territories of the Abir Company, either by the company or by third parties. With regard to the second part of the question, I have no information; but, if rubber is being exported, it is probably old stock. With regard to the third part, I must remind the hon. Member that this company (the area of whose territory has been enormously reduced) will in future be subject to the laws recently introduced in the Congo State. There does not appear, therefore, to be any necessity for communication with the Belgian Government.