§ SIR WILLIAM WEDDERBURN (Banffshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state the circumstances under which prolonged quarantine was imposed at Durban on the steamships Courland and Naderi, which recently arrived from Bombay with clean bills of health; whether he is aware that the agents of the steamers protested against such quarantine as illegal; that a riotous demonstration took place to induce certain passengers to return to India, and that these passengers when landing were attacked and threatened with lynching; and whether he will state what steps have been taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents?
§ THE SECRETARY or STATE FOR the COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN,) Birmingham, W.The Courland and Naderi having arrived at Durban from Bombay, a port infected with plague, were placed in quarantine, and I have no reason to believe that there was any irregularity in the manner in which the quarantine law was enforced. I am not aware whether the ships' agent protested against the quarantine. Upon the arrival of these ships considerable excitement existed at Durban, and meetings were held to protest against the passengers by these ships being allowed to land and to organise a demonstration to prevent their landing. On the day when the ships came into harbour about 5,000 persons assembled and threatened to forcibly prevent the landing, but the authorities induced them to disperse and the landing took place without opposition, except in the case of one person, who was assaulted but not seriously hurt. This incident did not take place at the ordinary landing-place. I have no reason to doubt that the Natal Government will take all possible precautions to prevent any violation of the law should any other ships arrive from Bombay.
§ SIR W. WEDDERBURNasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he could assure the House that there was no reason to think that the responsible authorities of Natal had in any way countenanced 1421 the popular movement against the Indian immigrants, and that they would make it clear that the Indian immigrants were entitled to protection like any others of Her Majesty's subjects?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI do not think that is really a proper question to put. The hon. Member is catechising me with regard to the intentions and motives of the Government of a self-governing colony. I have no doubt the Natal Government will do all it ought to do; at the same time, I am not responsible for them. ["Hear, hear."]
§ SIR WALTER FOSTER (Derby, Ilkeston)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to two telegrams (1) from Gibraltar to the effect that vessels from India will not get pratique there, and will not be allowed to land passengers or goods; mails and specie will be landed in quarantine, and coals and provisions supplied in quarantine; and (2) from Malta that from 6th February inclusive, vessels from India, having no cases of plague or suspected oases of plague on board, will communicate with Commino Island, where passengers can be landed to undergo 21 days' quarantine, their clothes and linen being disinfected, such vessels will coal at Comingott's Islet; and, whether he will communicate with these Crown Colonies with a view to the adoption of more scientific and convenient measures for the protection of public health, and also with the view to prevent an example being set by the Crown Colonies to Foreign Governments calculated to encourage the imposition of restrictions on British commerce?
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINMy attention has been called to the quarantine orders in Gibraltar and Malta referred to in the Question. The Governor of Gibraltar informs me that the stringent regulation adopted there is necessary to prevent quarantine being enforced by Spain against Gibraltar, which would put a stop to the Admiralty work on the harbour. As regards Malta I may refer the hon. Member to my answer to his Question on January 26. I am glad to say that the Colonial Government have to some extent relaxed the stringency of the measures at first adopted, and I trust that, although they are placed in a position of some 1422 difficulty by the very strong feeling of the inhabitants of all classes in favour of the antiquated system of strict quarantine, they may be induced by degrees to adopt more enlightened methods of protecting the public health.