The record-union., 1896-04-28
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Questions Asked Regarding South
Africa and Venezuela.

LONDON, April 27.-In the House of
Commons to-day Right Hon. Joseph
Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the
Colonies, in reply to questions on the
subject, stated that the Government
had received by telegraph the sub
stance of President Kruger's reply to
the Governments invitation 10 visit
London to discuss Transvaal affairs
The reply, he said, was long, and could
not be fairly appreciated without re-
ferring to the dispatch in eXtenso and to
the preceding correspondence. Under
the circumstances, Mr.. Chamberlain
added, the Government reluctantly
withdrew their invitation to President
Kruger, and had cabled to Sir Hercules
Robinson, Governor of the Cape Col
ony, instructing that as soon as Sir
| Graham Bower, the Imperial Secretary
at Cape Town, could arrive there on his
return from England, he being now on
the way, he (Robinson) should come to
| England and receive instructions which
should guide him in the pursuit of fur
ther negotiations. Mr.. Chamberlain an
| nOunced that the whole correspond
ence would shortly be published
| Sir William Vernon Harcourt, in ac-
| cordance with notice given him on
April % asked the Government what
| if any, arrangements had been made to
| conclude by arbitration settlement of
| the differences between the United
| States and Great Britain in regard to
| Venezuela.
a J. Balfour, First Lord of the Treas
ury, said arrangements to arbitrate in
respect to the Venezuelan and other
questions was matter which both the
British and the United States Govern
ments had in view The latest commu-
nications on the subject, which had been
received from the United States on Fri
day, were now under consideration
and dealt with both the general ques-
ton of arbitration and the Venezuelan
dispute. To give further information
concerning the matter, he concluded,
would at the present time be inexpe-
dent.
Mr.. Labouchere asked what amount
| of cash belonged to the chartered
South Africa Company, and would the
Government obtain security that the
cash would remain available to repay
the Government for its outlay in de-
fraying the expenses involved in sup
pressing the Matabele revolt
Mr.. Chamberlain replied that the
company had 100000 cash. The Gov
ernment, he added, did not propose to
take the course which Mr.. Labouchere's
questions suggested, the chartered COM
pany having paid the expenses of con-
| tending against the revolt as they had
| been incurred.
Mr.. Curzon, Under Foreign Secretary.
said the Russian ambassador had in
formed the Government that the state
ment made in the press that a secret
| treaty had been concluded by Russia
| and China, whereby the latter ceded
large tracts of territory TO Russia, was
devoid of the slightest foundation.
Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Chancellor
of the Exchequer in reply to a question,
said that the Government declined to
alter the law so that remission of the
income tax would be granted on the life
premiums of American insurance com
panies doing business in the United
Kingdom.
Mr.. Balfour moved that the Govern
ment control the whole of the time Of
the House for the remainder of the ses-
sion, and after a long debate it was
adopted.