SIR HOWARD VINCENTI beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is in a position to state how many of the aliens entering Great Britain last year, nominally en route for the United States, were refused passages by Transatlantic consular agents and steamship authorities at the ports of embarkation as undesirable settlers on American soil, and how many were refused admission at American ports under the Immigration Laws of Congress; and whether he is aware that these persons condemned as unfit by America were left in or thrown back upon Great Britain, their own countries also refusing them passports of re-entry.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI am unable to give figures as to passages to the United States refused by steamship companies. No Transatlantic consular agents have any power to refuse such passages. During 1900, 139 aliens arriving from the United Kingdom were refused admission to the United States under the Immigration Laws, but I cannot say how many of these entered Great Britain last year. This figure includes the persons rejected under the Contract Labour Law. I have no information confirming the statement in the last paragraph of the question as to the inability of these aliens to return to their native countries, and the information in my possession points in the other direction.
SIR HOWARD VINCENTHave not Transatlantic consular agents at Liverpool power to refuse such passages?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI believe not. That, at any rate, is the information I have received.
SIR HOWARD VINCENTHas the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been called to the Labour Gazette, published by his department, in which it is stated that the number of emigrants sent back to this country shows a very considerable increase? What has become of them?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI cannot say.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURNo, Sir.