§ MR. FELL (Great Yarmouth)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the condition of the bands of gipsies now at Hull; whether he has received information that such bands will not be allowed either to go on to the United States or to return to Germany, whence they are said to have come; and whether, if the instructions under the Aliens Act are not sufficiently stringent to keep out such immigrants, he will consider the question of revising them.
§ MR. GLADSTONEThe German gipsies now at Hull form part of these who landed in Scotland in March, April, and May. When it became apparant that the traffic was being organised so that these aliens should escape inspection I took steps, as announced to this House on May 10th,‡ to secure that any further arrivals by the steamship line which was carrying them should be subjected to inspection. Those steps were successful in preventing any further arrivals. I think the American law would certainly prevent these gipsies from landing in the United States. As regards Germany, I understand that the main difficulty is due
† See (4) Debates, cliii., 921.‡ (See (4) Debates, clvi., 921.1061 to the lack of passage money. The Aliens Act gives me no power in the matter except as regards any individuals who may be brought before a Court in circumstances rendering them liable to expulsion under the Act.