SIR JAMES LAWRENCEasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether it is not the fact that Western Australia consented to receive the convicts which were sent to that Colony on the distinct understanding and agreement that an equal number of free settlers should be sent out at the expense of the Imperial Government; whether this agreement still remains unfulfilled; and, if it is true that the Colony is about to take steps for the introduction of Chinese labourers to occupy the places of the free settlers whom the Colony desired to have, but whom the Government has neglected to send out, in conformity with their obligations, of which they have frequently been reminded?
MR. GRANT DUFFIn reply to my hon. Friend's first two Questions, I have to say that many years ago, under circumstances very different from those of the present time, the British Government formed, announced, and endeavoured to 1802 carry into effect, such an intention. Already, however, a quarter of a century since, the experience had turned out a piteous failure, as the Colonists could find no occupation for large numbers of the free emigrants, and these, after being sent out at great expense by the Home Government, became paupers, chargeable to Imperial funds. The subject has been revived at different times; but successive Governments have utterly failed to devise any plan by which the intention originally announced by Lord Grey could be carried into effect with justice to the free emigrants, or the Colonists, or the British taxpayer, and a long period has elapsed since the authorities of the Colony last referred to it. In reply to my hon. Friend's third Question, I have to say that Western Australia is about to take steps for the introduction of Chinese cheap labour, which is, of course, available for many purposes for which the high-priced labour of free European emigrants would be quite unsuitable.