§ MR. J. F. HOGAN (Tipperary, Mid)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether he is aware that the United States Government make it obligatory on shipping companies to fill in a form stating specifically the number of emigrants they bring to that country; and, whether he will call for a report on the practical working of this system, with a view, if found satisfactory, to the adoption of a similar system in this country, so that trustworthy data for determining the annual amount of emigration from the British Isles may be secured?
§ MR. RITCHIEI do not quite understand how the hon. Member considers that trustworthy data for determining the actual amount of emigration from the British Isles would be secured by making it obligatory on shipping companies to fill in a form stating specifically the number of immigrants to the British Isles. Trustworthy Returns on emigration from the United Kingdom to places out of Europe are now obtained, and there is no occasion for a Report on the system adopted in the United States for obtaining Returns of immigrants.
§ MR. HOGANI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, when he hopes to be in a position to make a 225 statement with respect to the reorganisation of the Emigrants' Information Office?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe matter is under consideration, but I am unable at present to make any public statement.