HC Deb 28 June 1906 vol 159 cc1124-5
MR. BOTTOMLEY (Hackney, S.)

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has yet obtained a translation of the original proclamation to the Chinese labourers in the Transvaal; and, if so, whether, and in what respects, it differs from the notice read to the House on 3rd May last.†

MR. CHURCHILL

I have obtained a translation which shows that the proclamation as posted in Chinese in the mines was a fair and accurate translation of the text read by me to the House, and differed from it only in the formal addition at the end, which it is usual to omit in translations from the Chinese.

MR. BOTTOMLEY

asked who had made the translation, and whether steps had been taken to ascertain whether any considerable number of Chinese coolies could read even their own language.

MR. CHURCHILL

said the translation would shortly be presented to Parliament in a Blue-book, and hon. Members could then compare the two versions for † See (4) Debates, clvi., 706. themselves. The translator was the official translator at the Foreign Office. Chinese illiterates, he understood, had the document read to them by their comrades.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)

Has the hon. Gentleman any idea of the number of Chinese illiterates at the mines?

MR. CHURCHILL

No, Sir.

MR. BOTTOMLEY

Had the Chinese translator at the Foreign Office before him the version read to the House last May by the hon. Gentleman?

MR. CHURCHILL

Yes, and the Blue-book will give the details line by line of the two versions.

MR. MYER (Lambeth, N.)

Will the hon. Gentleman have the proclamation delivered to the Chinese orally?

* MR. SPEAKER

That does not arise out of the Question.

MAJOR SEELY (Liverpool, Abercromby)

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether an amended proclamation as to the repatriation of Chinese coolies is to be issued, and, if so, what are to be the terms.

MR. CHURCHILL

The question of an amended proclamation is under consideration, but I am not yet able to make any more definite statement on the subject. Perhaps my hon. and gallant friend will repeat his Question in the early days of next week.

MR. LUPTON (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)

May I ask the hon. Gentleman if in preparing the new proclamation he will bear in mind that it is impossible to keep men at this kind of work without some form of torture?

* MR. SPEAKER

That is not connected with the Question on the Paper.