HC Deb 16 February 1904 vol 129 cc1491-2
MR. JOHN ELLIS

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in possession of and will communicate to the House the steps which Lord Milner proposes should be taken with regard to recruiting labour in China for the Transvaal so as to ensure that before the labourers leave China they are made fully aware of the specific wages they are to be paid and of the very special restrictions under which their labour is to be performed.

* MR. LYTTELTON

Lord Milner informs me that it is certainly intended that the Transvaal Government shall exercise the closest supervision over arrangements for recruitment and treatment of labourers in transit, and that it has been thought advisable to await arrival of Evans before drawing up the terms upon which license to import will be granted, and to be advised by him in regard to all details as to the qualifications of agents, the methods of recruitment, and treatment on voyage. These will be embodied in regulations under the Ordinance as well as in license.

MR. BUCHANAN (Perthshire,E.)

How can the Transvaal Government enforce any regulation with regard to sea transport? Must it not be done by Imperial regulation?

* MR. LYTTELTON

The position is this: negotiations are now in progress with the Chinese Government. One of the demands of the Chinese Government was with reference to sea transit, and there would be no sort of difficulty in making proper arrangements with regard to transit with that Government.

MR. BUCHANAN

Still it must be arranged by the Imperial Government and not by the Transvaal.