HC Deb 09 February 1882 vol 266 cc236-7
MR. R. N. FOWLER

asked the Secretary of State for India, Whether he is aware that, by the Law of Natal, the sale of spirits to the native population is forbidden; and, whether, in view of the demoralization directly on the Coolies and indirectly on the Kaffirs, caused by the exemption of the former from this Law, and in view of the facilities possessed by an intermediate coloured race like the Coolies for contravening the Law and inducing habits of drinking amongst the Kaffirs, the Government of India will permit the Legislature of Natal to extend the prohibition to natives of India?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

I am aware that by the Law of Natal (No. 22, 1878, section 2) the sale and disposal of spirits to any native is forbidden. It was proposed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Go- vernment of Natal, in March, 1879, to extend this prohibition to the sale of spirits to Coolies. The Government of India having been consulted, obtained the opinion of the Governments of Bengal and Madras, and reported to the India Office in the following terms (Despatch, April 13, 1880):— We are of opinion that, if trafficking in liquor by Indian immigrants does great and manifest harm to other natives in the Colony, the Colonial Government is not debarred by contract or otherwise from enforcing the liquor laws against Indian immigrants. If, on the other hand, the proposed measure is one of expediency rather than necessity, it appears desirable that existing contracts should be saved, and that the law should be applied prospectively. It will be for the Colonial authorities and the right hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies to say whether it is advisable, in that case, to take the risks of diminished immigration suggested by the Reports of the Madras and Bengal Governments. This opinion was communicated to the Colonial Office; and I have recently learnt by a letter from the Colonial Office that the Natal Executive Council has resolved that no legislation in the direction of stopping the sale of liquor to Coolies be attempted. It will thus be seen that if the demoralization and the facilities for contravening the law be such as to do great and manifest harm to other natives in the Colony, there is nothing in the advice given by the Government of India that need prevent the Natal Council from extending the application of the law to Indian immigrants.