§ * MR. MACKARNESSI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to a letter, dated March 29th, by the President of the Chamber of Mines in the Transvaal, in which he states that the recently reported outrages by wandering Chinese deserting from the mines had caused the gravest concern to the directors of the mining companies; that the Chamber had been in communication with the Government on the matter of more effective police protection; that a deputation would wait upon the Attorney-General to discuss the matter in all its bearings on March 30th; whether the Secretary of State had received any Report of the interview between the deputation and the Attorney-General; and whether he would lay such Report before the House.
§ MR. CHURCHILLI have seen the letter to which the hon. Member refers. The Secretary of State has been informed by Lord Selborne in a despatch received by the last mail that the mining companies have been actively engaged in consultation with the acting Lieutenant-Govern or and himself in considering whether it is possible to take further steps to exercise an effective supervision over the coolies, and that he was expecting definite proposal from them shortly. The Secretary of State expects to receive a further report as to the result of these communications, and will consider the question of publication or its receipt.