HC Deb 09 May 1892 vol 4 cc356-7
MR. SAMUEL SMITH (Flintshire)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, pending the receipt of the Bill passed by the Queensland Legislature for allowing the re-introduction of South Sea island labour to that colony, Her Majesty's Government will secure that the traffic shall not be re-opened; whether he will engage that the Papers relating thereto shall be laid upon the Table of the House before the Royal Assent is given to the said Bill; and whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the Report of Lord C. Scott, the Admiral of the Station, and that of Captain Davies, who has had a long experience in the Polynesian Islands?

*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Baron H. DE WORMS,) Liverpool, East Toxteth

Since the hon. Member put his question on the Paper the. Secretary of State has telegraphed to the Governor to ask whether he had assented to the Bill, and whether it is in operation. If it has been assented to, Her Majesty has only the power of disallowing the Act which has become law. The Secretary of State has further telegraphed that he trusts that the Colonial Government, if it is practicable, will delay issuing the licences under the Act until he has received and considered the measure and the safeguards with which it is doubtless surrounded. The Reports of the naval officers mentioned in the question shall be given with other Papers bearing upon the subject. It may be satisfactory to the House that I should mention the fact that Polynesian labourers have been introduced under the existing regulations to Queensland in increasing numbers up to the beginning of last year, and I may state that in 1890, 2,459 labourers were so introduced, and that since the beginning of 1885 no case of kidnapping or of serious infringement of the regulations has, as far as we know, been brought under notice. It may, therefore, fairly be assumed that the regulations are sufficient if properly watched and enforced. And to this end the attention of both Her Majesty's Government and the Queensland Government will be steadily directed.

MR. WINTERBOTHAM (Gloucester, Cirencester)

I wish to know whether the attention of the right hon. Gentleman has been called to the statement which appeared in the Daily News of Saturday, stating that the Melbourne Trades Council had resolved to appeal to Her Majesty the Queen to veto the Bill recently passed by the Queensland Government, promoting the re-introduction of South Sea island labour into the colony?

*BARON H. DE WORMS

No, Sir; my attention has not been called to the statement.