MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I bog to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have given 1133 attention to Lord Cromer's statement in his Report on Egypt, dated 9th March, 1893, that forced labour still exists in order to prevent inundations when the Nile is exceptionally high, as was the case last year, the existence of which, though not so great a hardship as the corvée, is to be regretted, and also to his further statement that the Public Works Department is at present engaged in considering and working out a scheme both as regards the payment of the corvée called out on the Nile banks during the flood, and for the completion of the Nile protection works in a shorter period than is possible with the limited funds annually available; whether the system of forced labour known as the corvée has subsisted in Egypt during the 10 years' English occupation of the country, and has not yet been abolished; and whether Her Majesty's Government propose to take any measures for the abolition of this form of involuntary labour?
"THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. GREY,) Northumberland, Berwick(1.) Yes. (2.) The answer is yes, in the limited sense now attached to the corvée. (3.) Lord Cromer's Report, page 14, shows that the matter is receiving the attention of the Egyptian Government, and Her Majesty's Government do not propose to interfere.
*MR. GIBSON BOWLESWhat does the hon. Baronet imply by the words "in a limited sense"? Does he mean that the labour is forced, but is paid for?
§ *SIR E. GREYI shall be happy to give the hon. Member references to passages in the Blue Book which will fully explain my meaning.