LORD HOUGHTONsaid, that complaints had reached this country from some young men of good family who, thinking that they were about to join a body of a civilian character, had enlisted in the Cape Frontier Mounted Police, but subsequently found that they were transferred to a military corps. He would therefore move for any Correspondence between the Government and the civil or military Authorities at the Cape of Good Hope respecting the 175 change of the body of Cape Frontier Mounted Police into Cape Mounted Rifles.
§ Moved, That an humble Address he presented to Her Majesty for any correspondence between the Government and the civil or military Authorities at the Cape of Good Hope respecting the change of the body of Cape Frontier Mounted Police into Cape Mounted Rifles.—(The Lord Houghton.)
§ EARL CADOGANsaid, that complaints of a similar nature to those stated by the noble Lord had reached the Colonial Office. The first of those complaints reached them on the 6th of November, and was followed by others. On the 14th, and again on the 21st of that month, despatches were addressed to Sir Bartle Frere requesting explanation of the matter. It was impossible for the Government to receive an answer before the middle or end of January, and therefore he hoped the noble Lord would not press his Motion for Papers on the present occasion, and he should be ready to give him an undertaking that as soon as the required answer and explanation had been received the Papers should be produced.
§ Motion (by Leave of the House) withdrawn.
§ House adjourned at a quarter past Five o'clock, to Monday next, a quarter before Five o'clock.