HC Deb 17 July 1905 vol 149 cc875-6
MR. RUNCIMAN (Dewsbury)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds he has not included Dover in the list of immigrant ports under the Aliens Bill.

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

Dover has not been included in the list of immigra- tion ports mentioned in the discussions on the Bill, because hitherto the wholesale immigration traffic, against which the Bill is directed, has not come to that port. If circumstances should alter, and show the necessity for so doing, Dover will be made an immigration port. The ports selected in the first instance are those to which this traffic chiefly comes, as shown by the Board of Trade Return. Alien Immigration from Europe, page 39.

MR. RUNCIMAN

further asked as to the views of the Dover Harbour Board, of which the right hon. Gentleman was a Member.

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I am not a member of that Board. I have, however, received their views, and I do not think there is any necessity to alter my decision.

MR. EMMOTT (Oldham)

Has the right hon. Gentleman consulted with the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, of whose opinion he should know something?

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I have before me the returns of aliens and I will give the hon. Gentleman the figures. Taking the average of 1903–4, two years, the following are the number of aliens returned as arriving—at Hull, 67,600; London, 45,000; Grimsby, 37,500; New-haven, 14,600; Tyne ports, 10,300; Harwich, 8,600; Leith and Grangemouth, 6,500; Southampton, 4,100; against 1,900 at Dover, and as against 3,700 at all the remaining twenty-eight ports at which returns are taken.

MR. RUNCIMAN

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether he was aware that during the last few months, and especially the last few weeks, there had been a great increase in the number of passengers landed at Dover.

MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

I have not seen that, but I will inquire.