§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether complaints have reached him as to the ill-treatment of British subjects who have recently emigrated to Brazil; and whether it is a fact that emigration agents in Great Britain and in Ireland have tempted persons to emigrate to Brazil by offers of "free passages" and "free farms" on reaching that country, but that, on arrival, 549 the emigrants were handed over to coffee planters and exposed to cruel treatment and great privations; if so, whether the Foreign Office will cause inquiry to be made into the system by which emigration to Brazil is stimulated, and into the treatment of the emigrants after arrival in that country?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON, Manchester, N.E.)Such complaints have been made, and I believe that many such cases have occurred as are described in the second question. All the information in our possession, as well as a statement of the steps taken to warn British subjects against emigrating to Brazil, will be found in the Correspondence which will be in the hands of hon. Members in a day or two.
§ In answer to a further question by Mr. FLTNN,
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONsaid: If any particular inquiry is desired by individuals it will certainly be made.