SOMALILAND.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 26 February 1914, Page 5

SOMALILAND.

A CHARGE OF VACILLATION. dimes'— 1 Sydney Sun' Special Cables. (Received Last Night, 6 o'clock.) LONDON, February 25. In the courso of a discussion in tho House of Commons on tin* Supplementary Est:-nates, Mr E. l'arkes, Unionist member for Central Birmingham, charged tho Government with vacillation over tho Somaliland incident, and described Mr Harcourt's minute in regard to Captain Corfield's death as callous and ungenerous. Mr Harcourt, in reply, stated that on the morning when it started, the reconnaissance was warned by Major Archer, in tho presence of Captain Somer«, not to engage the Dervishes, and gave undertakings tft that effect, hut disobeyed his orders. He (Mr Harcourt) had hitherto endeavoured to hide this fact, in Captain Corfield's own interest. The Camel Corps, which cost £38,000 annually performed a dreary work, awaiting dead men's «hoes, but. tho Mullah was old, and in an advanced stage of dropsy., Ho was physically immovable, and incapable of leading the Dervishes. There was no possible successor when ho died. Somaliland was, said Mr Harcourt, a compara•tiveiy peaceful country.