§ 17. Major PROCTERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has made inquiries from the Mexican Government as to the circumstances in which Major John Curtis Hartley, D.S.O., M.C., M.M., of Accrington, late of the Canadian Machine Gun Corps, and Mr. E. M. Geake, former naval commander, were recently killed by bandits in the Golden Head mining zone between Villa Ocampo and Rosario in Northern Mexico; and whether he will consider making an application to the Mexican Government for compensation
§ Mr. EDENI have received a despatch from His Majesty's Minister at Mexico City, reporting the murder of Mr. Geake and Major John Curtis Hartley on 6th November. Owing to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the place where the murder was committed, detailed information is not yet available, but, as soon as this report reached him, His Majesty's Minister at once approached the Mexican Government asking for full particulars and urging that all possible steps will be taken to ensure that the murderers are arrested and brought to trial. Pending the receipt of fuller information I am unable to say whether there are grounds for asking the Mexican Government for compensation for any dependants of the murdered men.
§ Major PROCTERDo I understand that if there are grounds, the Foreign Office will be insistent on getting compensation?