HC Deb 08 August 1901 vol 99 cc22-4
*SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, as stated by the Administrator of Rhodesia at the opening of the Legislative Council at Salisbury, His Majesty's Government have given their sanction to the attempt now being made to obtain labour from Arabia; at what date such sanction was given, and by what stipulations on the part of the Government the sanction has been accompanied.

*THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord G. HAMILTON, Middlesex, Ealing)

The authorities at Aden were asked on the 29th of June to afford proper facilities for engaging Arab labourers for Southern Rhodesia. His Majesty's Government have stipulated that the Administration of Southern Rhodesia shall accept responsibility for the engagement of the labourers and their transport to Southern Rhodesia, and shall secure the enactment of legislation for their protection which shall satisfy the requirements of His Majesty's Government.

*SIR CHARLES DILKE

Will these labourers be obtained within the Aden district or from Southern Arabia in Turkish Territory?

*LORD G. HAMILTON

We have no authority whatever over the population outside the British protectorate.

*SIR CHARLES DILKE

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether, as stated at the general meeting of the Buluwayo Chamber of Mines, an official of the British South Africa Company has been at Aden with a view to obtaining Arab labour at that place, and whether the Indian Government have made any of the stipulations with regard to the labour traffic from Aden such as they are in the habit of making with regard to labour traffic from India; whether Mr. Hole has already engaged 1,000 labourers under the sanction of the Imperial authorities.

*LORD G. HAMILTON

The law governing emigration at Aden is the same as the law in India, but does not apply to Arabs from the interior, who are not British subjects. In the present case, therefore, I have satisfied myself that the Administration of Southern Rhodesia will introduce suitable legislation for the protection of Arab labourers, and I have authorised the Aden authorities to give such facilities to the company's official as may be proper. They will also see that the labourers fully understand the terms of their engagements, and are under no compulsion to accept them. I have not heard what number of labourers Mr. Hole has engaged. I am aware of the risks to which any experiment of this kind is liable, and the Aden authorities will watch it carefully.

*SIR CHARLES DILKE

Have the Government of India any representative in Rhodesia who will communicate with them, or will the Colonial Office represent them?

*LORD G. HAMILTON

The Indian Government has no representative in Rhodesia, but I believe it is well known that these Arabs will not work unless they are well treated; and, therefore, you have in that fact a guarantee for their good treatment which does not exist where weaker races are concerned.

SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT (Monmouthshire, W.)

May I ask the noble Lord whether the legislation in South Rhodesia of which he spoke will be enacted before these men arrive or after?

*LORD G. HAMILTON

The understanding is that the legislation shall be in force by the time they arrive.