§ MR. CHILDERSsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the recent chartering of a ship to convey convicts to Western Australia, How soon transportation to that colony will finally cease; and, whether the supply of convicts for Public Works in connection with the Dockyard extensions in this country has been represented to the Home Office as inadequate?
§ MR. WALPOLEsaid, in reply, that transportation to Western Australia would cease at the end of the year. One ship had been chartered to go out now, and there would be another chartered to take out between 200 and 300 convicts more. That was the extent of our engagements, and we were bound to fulfil them. With regard to the deficiency in the supply of convict labour in the dockyards, there was no particular information at the Home Office, but he would make inquiry upon the subject.