HC Deb 04 July 1904 vol 137 cc458-9
MR. HERBERT SAMUEL (Yorkshire, Cleveland)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, seeing that Article V. of the recent Anglo-Chinese Convention requires that indentured emigrants from China shall be embarked only at a treaty port, the embarkation at Hong-kong of coolies on the steamship "Tweeddale" was a contravention of this treaty; whether the Chinese Viceroy at Canton has forbidden the recruitment of any more coolies for the Transvaal; and, if so, whether his action was taken as a protest against the infraction of the treaty.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. LYTTELTON,) Warwick and Leamington

The Anglo-Chinese Convention does not apply to Hong-kong, which is not s, treaty port, and there has been no contravention of I embarkation that they had a right to the treaty. It is true that two months ago the Viceroy of Canton issued a proclamation declaring recruiting for South Africa in that district illegal. His Majesty's Minister at Deking has made representations to the foreign board, and they have requested the Viceroy to withdraw the prohibition.

MR. HERBERT SAMUEL

Was the prohibition due to the fact that the Chinese authorities considered there had been a contravention of the Treaty?

[No Answer was returned.]