§ MR. COCHRANE (Ayrshire, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a band of about fifty-four German gipsies arrived by different stoamers at Leith on April 2nd, distributed in such numbers in each vessel as to evade the regulations of The Aliens Act, 1905, as amended by him, and under which the number of steerage passengers necessary to constitute a vessel an immigrant ship was raised from twelve to twenty; whether a similar band of gipsies, numbering twenty-six, reached West Hartlepool about April 26th, and were refused permission to land under the Act; whether, seeing that the arrival of gipsies has caused uneasiness to the inhabitants of those counties of Scotland through which they have been wandering for the past few weeks, he will say whether constables 555 have been obliged to be on duty day and night to watch these gipsies and escort them from county to county; and whether the Government propose to take any, and, if so, what steps to bring undesirable immigrants of this class under the provisions of the Act. The hon. Gentleman, in putting the Question, said several points were answered on the previous day, and he would only trouble the right hon. Gentleman with the fresh points.
§ * MR. GLADSTONEIt is the fact that on or about the date mentioned and since then several parties of aliens, known as German gipsies, have arrived at Leith and elsewhere. They have come in numbers not exceeding twenty, and on non-immigrant ships, so that they are not subject to inspection under the Act. A party of alien passengers believed to be of the same character and numbering twenty-six also arrived on April 26th at West Hartlepool, and were not permitted to land, as that is not an immigration port. As regards the fact that those of the gipsies who have landed in Scotland appear to have taken care to evade the provisions of the Act by coming in parties nor exceeding twenty, I may point out that the same evasion was possible, with only a little more trouble, when the number was fixed at twelve. I have set on foot inquiries into this matter, and when I have obtained full information I shall consider without delay what steps, if any, it may be necessary for me to take for the purpose of restricting the further arrival of such aliens. As regards the measures taken for dealing with those of them who have already landed in this country, I would refer to the Answer to a similar Question which was given yesterday by my right hon. friend the Secretary for Scotland.
§ MR. COCHRANEThen steps will be taken to prevent an evasion of the intentions of the Act?
§ * MR. GLADSTONEWhen I have ascertained the facts I will answer that Question.