§ MR. MACKARNESS (Berkshire, Newbury)I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to a speech made on March 28th by General Botha at Germiston, in which he is reported to have said that assaults, murders, and robberies by the Chinese coolies on the people of the Transvaal were the order of the day, and that these outrages increased every day; whether he has yet received from Lord Selborne the promised Return of crimes committed by the Chinese; and what steps the Transvaal Government have taken to put a stop to the suffering thus inflicted upon British citizens in that Colony.
§ MR. CHURCHILLI have seen a report of a speech by General Botha at Germiston on March 28th, but do not find in it the expression quoted by the hon. Member. The return which covers the period June 1st, 1905, to February 28lh, 1906, has now been received and will be published without delay. It shows that the largest number of outrages occurred in July and August last. Lord Selborne in a despatch dated March 5th has stated that "the police measures which have been taken to protect the inhabitants of the Witwatersrand from the lawless acts of the small number of criminals who are to be found among the Chinese coolies have been undoubtedly successful."