CONGO FREE STATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13583, 12 September 1908, Page 5

CONGO FREE STATE.

THE ANNEXATION TREATY.

BELGIAN SENATE ASSENTS.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.—

Brussels, September 10. The Senate at Brussels by 63 votes to 24, adopted a motion iu favour of the annexation of the Congo.

The long-debated quest ion of the annexation by Belgium of the Congo Free State has now been settled. By the treaty ceding the territory to Belgium, the King's domain, which is half as large as France, lying in a mighty oblong just below the equator, reverts to Belgium, together with its estates in Belgium, and the holdings it the American Congo Company, on certain conditions, namely:— Payment by the State of sums due from the Royal domain, amounting to £45,000. 2. Execution by the State, of works begun by the King in Belgium and Paris, costing £1,800,000. 3. Present "of gratitude" to the King of £2,000.000, to be devoted by him to Congo hospitals, etc. 4. Annuity of £4500 to Prince Albert. 5. Annuity of £3000 to Princess Clementine. The Belgian Government has promised to improve the treatment of the Congolese, especially by increasing their liberty to labour, and the right to dispose of the produce of their lands. On account of these promises the British Government, it is understood, will not insist on the abolition within the specified time of the system of paying taxes in labour. The Belgian Government has also promised to entertain favourably a proposal to refer to arbitration the interpretation ot the treaties binding the commercial relations of the Congo Free State with the rest of the world.