§ DR. MACNAMARA (Camberwell, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, having regard to the fact that over 27,000 Chinese coolies are now on the Rand, that 7,500 more have been already recruited, and that 50,000 in all are expected to be on the Rand by June, and to the fact that Sir George Farrar, in commending the introduction of the Chinese coolies to the people of the Transvaal, mentioned from 20,000 to 30,000 coolies as the limit of requirement, and to the fact that Lord Lansdowne, in another place, gave the assurance, on February 12th, 1904, that the proposal of the Government was to try the experiment of introducing Chinese coolies to the Transvaal on a limited scale, he will now put a limit to the further importation of Chinese coolies into the Transvaal.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. LYTTELTON, Warwick and Leamington)The hon. Member does not appear to have rightly quoted Sir George Farrar's statement to the Legislative Council. I am not prepared to set a limit as suggested, but I understand that the present requirements of the mines are for no more than 55,000 Chinese, and that after that number has been introduced the rates of increase, if increase there be, will be very moderate. The cost of recruiting and maintenance of the Chinese is very heavy in comparison with the Kaffir, and it is obvious that ordinary prudence will dictate that the introduction of Chinese should be limited to supplementing the deficiency between the number of Kaffirs who can be obtained and the total number of unskilled labourers which the mines may require. The experiment and all its consequences have received, and are receiving, the closest attention of the Transvaal Government and His Majesty's Government, and we have no doubt that the representative Government about to be introduced with even better opportunities for vigilance will scrupulously maintain that attitude.
MAJOR SEELY (Isle of Wight)Is the House to understand that the Government propose to put no limit of any kind to the importation of Chinese?
§ MR. LYTTELTONI have already answered that Question. I cannot say more.