HC Deb 21 June 1906 vol 159 cc358-9
MR. CATHCART WASON (Orkney and Shetland)

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that the Imperial Government is responsible for all charges in connection with payment of expenses to China of any Chinese coolies imported under the Ordinance who are dissatisfied with their engagement, and the confusion which has arisen between the instructions given by the Government and the Chinese translation thereof, the Government will issue a proclamation in plain English of their intentions, and instruct the authorities on the spot to publish the same in the mines, and the translation thereof in Chinese; and also lay the proclamation and Chinese translation upon the Table of the House.

MR. CHURCHILL

As I told the hon. Member for Bath yesterday ‡, this matter is the subject of inquiry and consideration.

MR. CATHCART WASON

Is the hon. Gentleman going to give us a copy of this proclamation?

MR. CHURCHILL

I shall be very glad to send the hon. Gentleman one for his information.

MR. CATHCART WASON

I want to see the Papers on the Table.

MR. CHURCHILL

I think the proclamation as it was read out by me to the House is to be found in Hansard.§ As to the version posted in the mines, we have consulted a distinguished Chinese scholar, and we shall be able to compare the one with the other in two or three days.

MR. CATHCART WASON

Is it not the intention of the Government to issue another proclamation on this subject? † See (4) Debates, clix., 167. § Ses (4) Debates, clvi., 70.

MR. CHURCHILL

That is a decision which cannot be taken until the two versions have been examined and compared.

MR. J. WARD

Does not the hon. Gentleman think it would be advisable to draw up a proclamation in English with all the promises and pledges of the Government on this subject, and then have it translated into Chinese?

MR. BLAKE (Longford, S.)

And will the House have an opportunity of discussing this proclamation again?

MR. CHURCHILL

The matter is under consideration at this moment, but before we are able to announce any decision to the House we must have an opportunity of seeing whether any alterations or additions were made in the process of translating from English into Chinese. If that should be established, I recognise the fact that the question of the proclamation generally will come once again into the area of consideration.

MR. BOTTOMLEY (Hackney, S.)

May I ask the hon. Gentleman who was the Chinese authority who translated this proclamation, and whether the hon. Gentleman is aware that the Secretary to the Chinese Legation says that he is unable to find any competent authority to translate into Chinese the version of the proclamation which the hon. Gentleman read to this House.

MR. CHURCHILL

I cannot give the name of the Chinese authority who translated the proclamation, because I do not know it; but if the hon. Member will ask a Question next week, I hope to be able to give him an Answer; I cannot believe it is beyond the power of the Government to get a Chinese translation.