§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN (Birmingham, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will now advise His Majesty to appoint a Royal Commission of a judicial character, to examine and report upon the working of the system of indentured labour in the Transvaal, and upon the allegations made by certain of His Majesty's Ministers that the system constitutes a state of slavery or semi-slavery, and also to inquire whether the accusations of general cruelty and torture inflicted by British subjects on Chinese coolies are true; and, if they find them proved, to report the names of the persons concerned, and to advise as to the measures to be adopted to prevent in the future the possibility of proceedings so injurious to the honour of this country.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANNo, Sir, we have no such intention.