RUBBER TORTURES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1687, 1 March 1913, Page 13

RUBBER TORTURES.

4 MAN-HUNTS AND BURNING OF WOMEN. PUTUMAYO DIRECTOR'S DEFENCE.

Mr. J. R,. Gubbins, chairman of tho Peruvian Amazon Company, was subjected to a long and keen examination on January 8 before' the Select Committee of the House of Commons appointed to inquiro into tho responsibility of the British directors of tho company tor tho atrocities perpetrated on tlie natives in connection with rubber-collecting in the Putumayo region of Peru. Tho primo mover in tho atrocities is alleged to have been Senor Jiilio Arana, who was appointed liquidator of the company. Mr. Gubbins said that -his connection with the company began on July 21, 1903, as an alternate director with Mr. Reid. I-i 1909 he was acting chairman. 110 was appointed full chairman in 1910 and remained in that position until tho liquidation of tho company. He knew nothing about tho atrocities until tho reports appeared in "Truth."

Rio chairman (Mr. Charles Roberts, M.P.). When tho revelations were mado for the first time, did you think that Arana treated you with candour? —Wtll, I cannot quito say that. Why did you trust Arana?—Very strange to say, ho makes a very favourable impression upon all who como into contact with him.

Do you know that between September 22, 1909, and tho timo your commission got into operation, at least twenty-fivo murders occurred—men, women, young girls, and children? There wero cases of ill-treatment—torture of Indians bv holding them under water and flogginc to death? Was not that a most astonishing proceeding from a company during those months when, you wero fighting with tho Foreign Office?—l do not call it lighting.Supposing you had knowledge of what win; being done during these months, what would your position be in English law?— That is a legal point I am not comnetent to decide.

You might, in that case, if you had known, have been cuilty of being accessory to murder.—AA'e were under tho impression that things wero steadily improving.

Did you find a list of armaments, stating that thero was a rifle in tho hands of each ono of your emploj-ees?—l cannot !>;» sure of any particular item. But, after all. here is an inventory— nages of it. It is not an item. You must have seen it» There aro twenty pages of it—The larger tlie inventory tlie less likely would I l;o to-examine it. Hero you have und->r Octol>er 30, 1909. tho payment of .£lO for four davs spent in hunting fugitivo Indians.—The witness said ho might have.overlooked it vei-v ensily.

the Chairman: There are some very grave specific instances, such as tho burning of women with keroseno oil. Mr. Gubbins said Indians who wero hunted wero in debt to the company for goods received.

A_s to the appointment of Senor Aicna as liquidator, tho witness said ho was of the opinion that Arana was tho most suitable person on the grounds of finance and humanity. Is Arana under arrest now?— No. A message arrived a few days ago at the offices of tho company, in which ho advised that an order for arrest had been issued. He instructed his solicitor to appeal, and according to his opinion and advice tho Superior Court would not authorise his arrest. Ho said ho was about to leave. Ho did not say for where, but we presume for London.

That would bo a wiso move on his part, would it not?— Mr. Gubbins sait* that as Arana had indicated his willingness to come and appear in London before tho Committee, it did not icok as if he was actuated by any timidity. This is the first we have heard of it. Aro you authorised to say that ho is willing to come here?— After consultation with nis friends at tho back of the committco room, Mr. Gubbins said ho understood tho position was that Arana had expressed in a letter willingness to come over and appear before the Court in tho matter cf the liquidation.

Mr. Gubbins was further examined on January 0.,

Lord Alexander Thynne examined Mr. Gubbins, particularly as to the "military operations indulged in by the company/' and elicited the reply from tho witness that lie could not do anything without the consent of Arana.

Questioned by Jfr. Swift MacNeill, Mr. Gubbins said that tho directors wore acting in the interests and for tlio benefit c-f the Indians.

Mr. Swift MacNeill: You were anxious that the Indians should be well cared for. and that they Should have little cottage gardens, farm stock, including guineapigs, and that they should hivo winces. When, did that wonderful spirit .of affection for the Indians come about?—lf was there all, tho time, but I know perfectly well you think I am not acting bona fide. Mr. Gubbins said that 30,000 Indians had been murdered in twelve years, which was at the rate of 2500 a year. The atrocities had consistently diminished since tho end of 1909. He joined the company. at the invitation of Mr. Raid, an old and esteemed friend. What was good enough for Mr. Reid was good enough for him. - He believed still that Arana had been imposed upon to a great extent by his own managers and people.—"Daily Mail."