HC Deb 12 August 1889 vol 339 cc1011-2
MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will lay upon the Table the Correspondence with the Government of the Argentine Republic relative to the loss brought upon many hundreds of Irish families by the repeated failure of the Republic to keep their engagements for the transport of intending emigrants; and, do Her Majesty's Government intend to exact compensation for the ruin brought upon so many British subjects through the misrepresentation of the agents of a Foreign State; and, if not, will the Government consider the advisability of making it a penal offence for Foreign agents to entice emigrants abroad by false promises?

* THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) Manchester, N.E.

There will be no objection to lay upon the Table the Correspondence respecting British and Irish Emigration to the Argentine Republic, if the hon. and learned Member will move for it. In so saying I ought to state that the Papers do not show any failure on the part of the Argentine Government to fulfil their engagements. It is true that unsuitable persons have been induced to emigrate to that country, and some hardship has been caused by the unpunctual arrival of steam vessels to embark emigrants. If any case were brought to the notice of Her Majesty's Government in which persons in this country had been deceived or defrauded it would be duly considered, and any action taken that appeared to be required.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Did not the right hon. Baronet receive a letter from me showing that there were something like 2,000 persons whose emigration had been delayed for some months after they had broken up their homes and sold off all their goods and chattels?

* SIR J. FERGUSSON

Inquiries are being made as to the cases which the hon. Member brought under my notice; but it is not one of the cases referred to in the Correspondence with the Argentine Republic.

MR. T. M. HEALY

If the Correspondence has not yet come to a conclusion it will not be necessary to move for the production of it.

* SIR J. FERGUSSON

The Correspondence is not yet concluded.

MR. T. M. HEALY

Will the right Gentleman be good enough to lay the Correspondence on the Table as soon as it is concluded?

* SIR J. FERGUSSON

I will inform the hon. Gentleman when the Correspondence is finished.