§ VISCOUNT CRANBROOKwished to ask the noble Earl the Secretary of State for the Colonies a Question of which he had given him private Notice. It appeared that a Mr. Chippendale employed some 40 or 50 Natives upon his estate in the Island of Fiji, and during the early part of this year he was arrested on a charge of having murdered one of them. The charge surprised him very much; but proceedings were taken against him, and if accounts received were correct they showed a very curious state of things existing in the Island. Mr. Chippendale was tried for manslaughter, but was fully and honourably acquitted. The father of that gentleman, who was unknown to him (Viscount Cranbrook), and who was a clergyman in a Northern county, had, and was supported by the Bishop of his diocese, wished him to ask, whether the noble Earl would ascertain the circumstances and nature of the charge, and of Mr. Chippendale's trial and acquittal? He would be glad to know what steps had been taken for the purpose of learning all the circumstances of the case?
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY,in reply, said, he had no knowledge of the case except from statements made by 55 Mr. Chippendale's father, which he supposed that gentleman had sent to the noble Viscount and other noble Lords. When he received that statement he transmitted it to Sir Arthur Gordon, with a request that he would send to the Colonial Office all the particulars of the case. Until he received those particulars he could not say any more on the subject.
§ VISCOUNT CRANBROOKsaid, that next Session he might probably move for Papers on the subject.