§ MR. WILLIAM RUTHERFORD (Liverpool, West Derby)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the recent increase in the number of Chinese settled in Liverpool and Birkenhead; whether he is aware that there are some seventy Chinese laundries in Liverpool and Birkenhead; will he say whether the Chinese who work in these laundies have brought with them any Chinese women; whether he is. aware that these Chinese maintain a number of opium and gambling dens which are the resort of the Chinese sailors and firemen who come into the Mersey on certain lines of steamers; and whether he proposes to take any, and, if any, what, action in the matter.
§ *MR. GLADSTONEI understand that there has been some increase in the number of Chinese settled in Liverpool but none in Birkenhead. There are altogether sixty-three Chinese laundries in the two places. It is not the practice of the Chinamen who resort to Liverpool and Birkenhead to bring women with them. As regards the last part of the Question I am informed that, since the cases to which I referred in my reply to the hon. Member on the 5th April last.† the police, though they have kept strict watch, have not been able to get evidence on which proceedings under the Gaming Acts could be instituted. In the circumstances there is no action that I can take.