§ MR. CHARLES DEVLIN (Galway)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any protest has been received by His Majesty's Government from the Japanese authorities against the provisions of the Provincial Immigration Act, 1904, of British Columbia; whether he is aware that the Act in question was passed in view of the influx into that province of Asiatic labour, notwithstanding the head tax imposed, and that this influx of Asiatics has been detrimental to white labour; and whether, in view of these facts, no attempt will be made to interfere with the Provincial Immigration Act, 1904, of British Columbia.
§ MR. LYTTELTONI am not aware that any protest has been made by the Japanese Government against any legislation of British Columbia this year, aiming at the restriction of Asiatic immigration. The Dominion Government has disallowed similar legislation in recent years partly because of objections raised by the Japanese Government, and partly because it was inconsistent with legislation on immigration passed by the Dominion Parliament. I have not yet seen the text of the 1904 Act referred to, and am not aware what action the Dominion Government proposes to take in regard to it.