Lieut.-Colonel AMERY: It is not a question of costs to the natives. A philanthropic society, being of opinion, for its own reasons, that the interests of the natives were not sufficiently safeguarded, not even by the Crown, introduced their own case in Court--which is their own affair—and they have paid for it. Even so, I think the interests of the natives are, and will be, fully safeguarded by the Crown.

Colonel WEDGWOOD: Is it not the fact that the Aborigines Protection Society put their case before the Court, and provided it with the facts on which their judgment was based?

Lieut.-Colonel AMERY: No, sir, I think the Society offered to put their case, and the Court was quite willing to hear it.

Colonel WEDGWOOD: That is not so.

Mr. MACQUISTEN: Seeing that the work of the Aborigines Protection Society served a very useful purpose in bringing the facts before the Court, should they not have had some of the costs they incurred?

Lieut.-Colonel AMERY: I am only trying to make the position clear. The interests of the natives are protected and safeguarded by the Crown: in which respect they are as well off as before hearing the advice of the Aborigines Protection Society.

Mr. MACQUISTEN: Why, then, was not the evidence of the Aborigines Protection Society ruled out of Court?

Mr. SPEAKER: Any further questions had better be put down.

Colonel WEDGWOOD asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the British South Africa Company has refused to allow the Legislative Council of Rhodesia to pay the expenses incurred by the natives in preparing evidence for the Rhodesian land inquiry, and has in a written statement declared that such costs should be paid by the philanthropic public; whether this attitude has at any time received the approval of His Majesty's Government; and, if not, whether a proposal would be sympathetically considered to submit to Lord Cave's Commission the reasons which exist for making the costs of the natives, like those of other parties to the inquiry, a public charge?

Lieut.-Colonel AMERY: I am aware that the British South Africa Company have refused to ask the Legislative Council of Southern Rhodesia to vote the costs incurred by the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society in presenting the case to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council on behalf of certain natives. The case was taken up by the Society entirely on its own responsibility, and neither the present Secretary of State nor his predecessor has felt able to take any action in the matter. I understand

that Lord Cave's Commission has agreed to hear the Society upon such matters as may come within the terms of reference to the Commission.

Colonel WEDGWOOD: May I ask whether it is a fact that the Legislative Council of Rhodesia wished to pay these expenses, and is it also a fact that the Commission, that represented the natives, backed up the British South Africa Company in refusing to allow this offer to be made?

Lieut.-Colonel AMERY: I do not understand that the Legislative Council did ask that.

LORD CAVE'S COMMISSION.

August II.

Mr. ADAMSON asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is aware that the Royal Commission to inquire into the claim of the British South Africa. Chartered Company is holding its meetings to receive evidence in private ; and whether, in view of the public interest in this matter, he will represent to the Commission the necessity for holding their meetings in public?

The UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Lieut.-Colonel Amery) I understand that none of the meetings at which evidence is taken or counsel is heard are private.

GERMAN COLONIES.

July 9.

Mr. J. DAVISON asked the Prime Minister whether, as in the case of the Draft Covenant for the League of Nations, the draft mandates for the late German Colonies will be published before being finally approved by the League ?

Mr. BONAR LAW: The substance of the Mandate is already contained in Article twenty-two of the Covenant of the League of Nations.

THE GAMBIA.

July 31.

Mr. J. W. WILSON asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Commission of Inquiry appointed by the Governor of the Gambia colony in January last to investigate certain disturbances and complaints affecting the administration of the Upper Saloum district of the protectorate has completed its investigation; and whether its report has yet been issued.

Lieut.-Colonel AMERY: The Secretary of State has received the report referred to, and has taken such action upon it as appeared necessary.

Discarriage of Justice in British East Africa.

IN reference to the case of the trial, for murder of a native, of two white men in the East Africa Protectorate, about which correspondence with the Colonial Office was published in our April issue, we have received the following further letter from the Department :

SIR,

DOWNING STREET,

July 4, 1919.

With reference to the letter from this Department of the 7th of May I am directed by Viscount Milner to inform you that he has now received from the Governor of the East Africa Protectorate a report on the trial of Mr. H. E. Watts and Mr. C. S. L. Betschart.

2. The facts of the trial are as follows:

---

Mr. Watts was committed for trial on a charge of voluntarily causing grievous hurt under section 325 of the Indian Penal Code; he was found guilty of the lesser offence of voluntarily causing hurt, for which the maximum penalty is imprisonment for one year or a fine not exceeding Ricco/or both; and he was sentenced to pay a fine of Ricco/- or to undergo six months' rigorous imprisonment. Mr. Betschart was committed for trial on a charge of murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code; he was found guilty of voluntarily causing hurt; and he was bound over in a sum of R1500/- (with two sureties of R750/-each) to be of good conduct for twelve months.

3. It appears that in the case of Mr. Watts, who was charged with causing grievous hurt, the main question was whether the testimony of the native witnesses could be accepted in its entirety; and from questions put to the jury by the judge it seems clear that the jury accepted the evidence of the flogging of the native Matunga at Mr. Watts' house, but that they did not accept the evidence of subsequent floggings and immersion in the river.

4. The second accused was committed on the charge of murder by causing the death of the Native Matunga by strangulation; but with regard to this charge and the lesser charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, the Prosecution was confronted by a difficulty which in the Governor's opinion was insurmountable. The Indian Sub-Assistant Surgeon who examined the body of the deceased was precise on the point that the cause of death was strangulation, the usual symptoms of death by strangulation being found on the body; but there was no evidence that the accused did any act which caused or could have contributed to death by strangulation. In these circumstances the jury refused to convict either of murder or of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

5. The Governor observes that in his opinion the sentences passed on both Mr. Watts and Mr. Betschart were unduly lenient, having regard to the callous brutality which they showed in their treatment of the native; and that the maximum term of imprisonment which is allowed under the Indian Penal Code for the offence of causing hurt (other than grievous hurt) would not have been excessive.

6. In conclusion, the Governor states that the result of the trial is to be regretted, but that a careful consideration of the evidence shows that the case was one of real difficulty and that there was no clear evidence to prove whether the murder, which was unquestionably committed, was the work of Mr. Betschart or of some of the native servants who took part in the arrest and detention of the man; that although there may be certain points in which the summing up of the judge and the findings of the jury are open to criticism, he does not consider that the verdict of the jury can fairly be characterized as dishonest or perverse.

7. Lord Milner has read the report of this trial with the greatest regret, and he is much obliged to the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society for having brought the matter to his notice; but after careful consideration. of the case, he shares the Governor's opinion that the verdict of the jury cannot be considered to be manifestly perverse, and in these circumstances the action which you suggested in your letter of the 6th of December cannot, in his opinion, be taken.

"

I am,

(Signed) H. J. READ.

It is satisfactory to have the assurance that the Governor condemns the callous brutality" of Watts and Betschart, which in his opinion called for a much less lenient sentence, and we are glad to know that Lord Milner, though giving reasons for thinking that the jury's verdict cannot now be reversed, appreciates the part which the Society took in bringing this deplorable matter before him.

South African Mative Labour Corps.

COLONEL S. M. PRITCHARD, Director of Native Labour, who commanded the Native Labour Corps in France, was recently presented with an address of welcome by the Transvaal Native Congress in Johannesburg. Colonel Pritchard referred to the work of the Corps in France, and said that so far as unskilled labour was concerned, there was no doubt that the best labour was that of the Native Labour Corps. Altogether some 93,000 South African natives had gone to East Africa and France, and the casualties had

been 3,221, while 894 natives had received compensation on account of injury or sickness, and compensation had been paid to 2,504 dependants.

In the address the opinion was expressed that his presence compelled them to hope that he would help to advance the legitimate aspirations of the Bantu people.

In reply, Colonel Pritchard spoke of the work of the corps in France in glowing terms. Referring to the text of the address, he said he knew they had those aspirations. There was a great deal yet to be done. He was aware there was a good deal yet in our laws which was harassing and irritating to natives, and he favoured very generous treatment of natives who are fitted by education or by being semi-skilled men, all being good citizens. They had to go by degrees. He asked for their complete confidence.

Sir bugh Clifford.

THE appointment of the late Governor of the Gold Coast to the Governorship of Nigeria has caused widespread satisfaction, and not least to the AntiSlavery Society, which knows and appreciates the wise and valuable work which he has done on the Gold Coast. The Governor Designate was entertained at dinner by the African Society in June, when he gave an interesting speech on developments in that country, from which we quote some important paragraphs :—

EUROPEAN COMPETITION WITH NATIVES.

"With regard to the opening up of a great tropical country, it seems to me the primary object of the administrator should be to secure that where European effort can alone effect its object, it should be heartily welcomed and encouraged; but that where you have any industry which the native, under proper guidance and with proper assistance and sympathetic help can develop for himself, you should avoid as far as possible bringing the European into the field in competition with any local industry."

THE COCOA INDUSTRY: NATIVE ENTERPRISE.

"But, of course, as you all know who are familiar with the Gold Coast, a striking fact connected with the colony is the extraordinary development of the cocoa trade. In 1891 a packet of 91 lbs. of cocoa was exported from the Gold Coast. I took up my duties at the end of 1912, and in 1913 50,000 tons of cocoa were exported from the Gold Coast. Then the war began in August, 1914, but in 1917 90,000 tons of cocoa were exported from the Gold Coast, and I am credibly informed by the Acting Governor of the Gold Coast that during the current year the export of cocoa will not be very far short of 120,000 tons.

"But to me the great advantage of this industry is that it has been throughout, and is to this day, an entirely native industry. I