§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether in October, 1900, he received a communication from the Refugees' Committee in Cape Town protesting against their detention in that city, and stating that there was dissatisfaction at the enforced postponement of their return to Johannesburg; whether he is aware that in many instances the places in the mines of the 120,000 British miners driven out of Johannesburg by the war from their work and homes have been filled by Kaffirs; can he state approximately how many of these 120,000 British refugees have been permitted by Lord Milner to return to Johannesburg; and what instructions, if any, has he given to Lord Milner to oppose schemes for the substitution of blacks in the places occupied by whites before the war, in the Transvaal mines.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINI received the communication referred to in the Question. Since then, about one-third of the refugees have returned to Johannesburg, and large numbers are going back every month. I have no information to show that in many instances Kaffirs have taken the work previously done by white men, and I see no reason for any special instructions to Lord Milner on the subject.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWill you inform me, Mr. Speaker, if a paragraph was deleted from this Question upon your authority?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThe matter has not been brought under my notice before this.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLThen, Sir, with your permission, I will raise it as a question of order later on.