§ MR. S. SMITH (Flintshire)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether his attention has been drawn to the description of the state of the coolies, as given in the Administrative Report of last year in regard to the Straits Settlements, wherein it is stated that in Province Wellesley—
Out of 3,085 persons committed to the Criminal Prison in 1887, 967 were Tamil coolies undergoing short sentences for offences in connection with labour contracts. The average length of sentence of these men was 18 days. The average distance of the estate from the prison is about 10 miles; and each indentured coolie has to be returned to his estate (at the expense of his employer) on the expiration of his sentence under police escort. That, both in 1886 and 1887, Indian immigrants were received whom Dr. M'Closky describes as 'poor in physique and unused to field work,' and many of whom gradually sank from sheer general debility and exhaustion, in spite of all treatment. 1740 The most effectual means of attracting a superior class of labourers would appear to be to raise the minimum rate of wages fixed by Ordinance V. of 1884, Section 46, and to reduce the period of the contract (three years), which, considering that the maximum advance recoverable by law is only 12 dollars, or barely £2, seems to be a long term of enforced servitude;and, whether the Government will take any steps to alleviate the state of things thus described?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Baron HENRY DE WORMS) (Liverpool, East Toxteth)The attention of the Secretary of State has been called to the Administrative Report with regard to the Straits Settlements; and measures have been adopted, with good results, for insuring the greater fitness for agricultural labour of the coolies introduced into the Straits Settlements. In addition to wages, the employer is bound to supply the contract labourer, gratis, with house and hospital accommodation, medical attendance and medicines, and to supply him with provisions at market price to be fixed by Government. The Governor is sensible of the advantage of shortening the period of contract, but is of opinion that this could not be done at present without serious injury to employers, although he hopes it may be possible at no distant date.