§ MR. ESSEX (Gloucestershire, Cirencester)To ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the differences in the dialects used at the various ports of the Chinese Empire 917 from which coolies have been and are being recruited into South Africa, and that a proclamation in literary Chinese or any one of the various Chinese local dialects would probably be unintelligible to many of the labourers, even when such are at all able to read, he will have steps taken to insure that the intentions of the Imperial Government are clearly understood by the coolies.
(Answered by Mr. Churchill.) Inquiry will be made as to what further steps may be necessary to ensure that the coolies understand the offer made to them.