§ DR. MACNAMARA () Camberwell, N.I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state whether the persons who have been at Tien-tsin for some weeks past recruiting coolies for the Transvaal have been licensed under Regulation I. (Recruiting) of the Regulations under the Ordinance, as set forth at page 3 of the Parliamentary Paper issued on Monday last; and if so, by whom, and to whom, such licence or licences were issued.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. LYTTELTON,) Warwick and LeamingtonNo recruiting licence has yet been issued under the Regulations.
§ DR. MACNAMARAIs it not a fact that two gentlemen from the Transvaal I have been recruiting in China? I desire to know under what authority Messrs. Hamilton and Perry have been acting, as stated in my Question, since 22nd February.
§ MR. LYTTELTONI do not know that I ran answer the Question more clearly than I have answered it. If the hon. Member chooses to recruit or to take preliminary steps for recruiting he can do so. Anybody can recruit Chinese in China and will be beyond our jurisdiction and control. Of course, when it conies to taking Chinese into the Transvaal, then no doubt any Chinese nut recruited in pursuance of the Ordinance will be rejected, and have to be taken back at the recruiter's expense.
§ DR. MACNAMARAWill the Chinese who have been recruited be introduced under the Ordinance.
§ MR. LYTTELTONI do not know whether there have been any.
§ DR. MACNAMARAIt is a fact there have.
§ SIR CHARLES DILKE () Gloucestershire, Forest of DeanThe right hon. Gentleman said that an Englishman recruiting Chinese would be "beyond our jurisdiction and control." Would he not be punishable by us, we having extraterritoriality?
§ MR. LYTTELTONrequired notice of the Question.
§ DR. MACNAMARACan we have an assurance that Chinese already recruited will not be introduced under the Ordinance until proper officials have been appointed.
§ [No answer was returned.]