§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now give an account of a conflict in Tientsin between two batches of Chinese indentured labourers awaiting embarkation for the Transvaal mines, under the provisions of the Chinese Labour Ordinance, the casualties already reported being three Chinamen killed and twenty wounded; and whether, having regard to the fact that the combatants at Tientsin were natives of North China and South China between whom a deadly feud exists, any provision has been made to prevent similar collisions during the voyage to South Africa and in the mines; if he has received a telegraphic report of this occurrence, why has he not communicated that report to the House of Commons; if he has not received such report, what steps does he intend to take with reference to the delay.
(Answered by MR. Secretary Lyttelton.)—I received a telegram from the Transvaal Government Agent at Tientsin on 22nd June, stating that the deaths occurred as a result of a street brawl on a large scale which originated between two 1199 bodies of Chinese emigrants living in different quarters of the town, and that there was no reason to apprehend that there will be trouble on the ships; that the contending parties would be carried on different ships; and that a despatch will follow by mail. I expected the hon. Member by repeating his Question as he has now done to enable me to give the information to the House.