§ MR. BURT (Morpeth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can give the number of Chinese on the Rand mines who have been sent to prison up to the end of June, and the offences for which they were imprisoned; whether there are any interpreter in the prisons who can communicate between the Chinese prisoners and the prison authorities; and whether he can give the total number of Chinese who have been repatriated, and the reasons for their repatriation.
§ MR. LYTTELTONI have not yet received returns for May and June. The returns from June, 1904, up to 30th April, 1905, show that 1,187 Chinese have been ent to prison; of these 243 for fourteen days or less. The offences we e assault, riot, desertion, absence without leave, refusal to work, and theft. I am informed that there are no Chinese inter- 1060 preters in the prisons, but that services of such can be obtained when required by application to foreign labour department. The numbers of labourers repatriated under Section 25 of Labour Importation Ordinance for refusing to perform service is one; under Section 26—(a) as permanently incapacitated for work by physical infirmity or disease, 1,183; (b) after conviction of offence and sentenced to imprisonment without option of fire eighteen; total, 1,202.