§ 8. Mr. TOUCHEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the action of the Mexican Government in confiscating about 55,000 acres of British-owned cotton lands in the State of Coahuila; what compensation is being paid to the British owners concerned; and whether any representations have been made to the Mexican Government on this subject?
§ 13. Mr. ANSTRUTHER-GRAYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make a statement regarding the expropriation by the Mexican Government of some 55,000 acres of British-owned cotton lands in Mexico; and whether compensation has been paid by, or representations made to, the Mexican Government?
§ Mr. EDENI am aware that the Mexican Government have recently decided to apply the provisions of the Agrarian Code to the cotton plantations of the Laguna district of Mexico, thus modifying their previous policy in this matter. His Majesty's Minister has, on my instructions, been in close touch throughout, both with the British interests affected and with the Mexican authorities, and every effort is being made to ensure that the British interests will obtain that due measure of compensation to which they are entitled under the Agrarian Code.
§ Mr. PALINGIs there any truth in the statement that these lands were expropriated because, in the past, they had never been put to any real economic use?