THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNMy Lords, seeing the noble Marquess the Secretary of State for War in his place, I wish to put to him a question of which I have given him private notice. Some short time ago I asked him to be good enough to inquire whether there was any truth in the report that Her Majesty's colonial soldiers and Her Majesty's subjects belonging to Natal and Cape Colony, who had been defending their homes and had been taken prisoners, had been confined in convict prisons at Pretoria, or, at all events, treated in a manner quite different from that in which Her Majesty's soldiers had been treated. I should be very much obliged if the noble Marquess would now tell me whether inquiries have been made, and with what result, for I am sure every one of your Lordships will be of opinion that this matter is a most important one which does not admit of delay.
*THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (The Marquess of LANSDOWNE)My Lords, since the noble Earl mentioned this subject to your Lordships we have received from various sources information to the effect that men belonging to Her Majesty's colonial forces are treated with greater severity than soldiers of the British Regular forces. We are endeavouring to ascertain whether this is the case. I need not assure my noble 896 friend that we regard the matter as a grave one, and if these statements are corroborated we shall certainly make representations in regard to the matter.