HC Deb 12 August 1887 vol 319 cc256-7
MR. MUNRO FERGUSON (Leith, &c.)

asked the Secretary to the Board of Trade, Whether the Government has further considered the question of the admission of destitute aliens into this country?

MR. FISHER (Fulham)

also asked, Whether the hon. Gentleman's attention has been called to Section 2 of the Act of Congress (3rd August, 1882), regulating immigration into the United States, whereby it is enacted that— If on examination there shall to found. … any person unable to take care of himself or herself without becoming a public charge, they (the officers) shall report the same in writing to the collector of such port, and such persons shall not be permitted to land; whether his attention has been called to the statement in the Report for 1886 of the Board of Guardians for the relief of the Jewish Poor, that it has been the invariable practice to forward chiefly to America a large number of destitute alien immigrants, and that 888 foreigners were, according to the Report, so emigrated last year; and, whether, having regard to the fact that there is good reason to anticipate the more stringent enforcement of the above Regulation of the United States, thereby increasing the difficulty already experienced of passing on destitute aliens, he will recommend to Her Majesty's Ministers the adoption of Regulations similar, or even stronger, than those enforced by the United States, and will give notice to the Governments of Germany, Russia, and other countries (as Mr. Bayard has recently given Notice to us), that— The exportation of such persons by a Foreign Government will scarcely be regarded as a friendly act, and that we shall in future enforce the return of such emigrants to their native country?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)

said, that he would answer the Questions. The Government had had the matter under their careful consideration. He had no reason to doubt that the statement contained in the Question of the hon. Member for Fulham (Mr. Fisher) was substantially correct; but the Government had no power, under the existing law, to make such a representation as was suggested by his hon. Friend.

MR. MUNRO-FERGUSON

gave Notice that on an early day next Session he would call attention to the subject, and move a Resolution.