21 DECEMBER 1912, Page 2

An important statement was made in the House of Commons

by Sir Edward Grey on Tuesday on the subject of the Putnmayo atrocities. He had been informed by the British consul at Iquitos that most satisfactory results have attended the reforms introduced in the rubber district, and that it was stated in the Putnmayo that the whole of the staff of the Peruvian Amazon Company who were accused of crimes had been charged. Mr. G. B. Michell, the consul in question, how- ever, who gave evidence before the Commission on Wednesday _ corrected this statement. It was not strictly true that all the staff of the company had been charged. Warrants to arrest 217 persons had been issued, but only 75 were in custody at Iquitos, and two persons charged with offences were still in charge of sections of the district.