§ MR. JOWETT (Bradford, W.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any official information showing that native rebels in Natal who have surrendered or been 357 taken prisoners have been sent to work in the Kimberley mines; and, if so, if he proposes to make any representations to the Natal Government on the matter.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL, Manchester, N.W.)I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to a similar Question by the Member for North Salford.†
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)Is it not the fact that some of these political prisoners have been sent to Kimberley, and is it not the practice that all convicts sent to Kimberley are worked in the diamond mines for the benefit of the proprietors?
§ MR. CHURCHILLIn answer to my hon. friend, I can only say that I have no reason to believe that any Natal insurgents have been or are likely to be employed in the Kimberley diamond mines; but the opinion which has been made clear in the House in the conversation which took place at Question time yesterday has been brought to the notice of the Secretary of State, and will be considered. I do not wish to make any further statement on the matter, but my hon. friend may be perfectly sure that it will not be overlooked.
§ MR. BYLES (Salford, N.)How soon may we again put a Question on the subject of the employment of these men in the Kimberley mines?
§ MR. CHURCHILLTuesday or Wednesday next week.