§ MR. LONSDALE (Armagh, Mid.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the attention of the Secretary of State for the Colonies has been drawn to the terms of a resolution passed on the 2nd instant, at a meeting of the commercial community at Johannesburg, protesting against the repatriation of Chinese, on the ground that it would throw out of employment a largo number of skilled whites, dislocate business, and lead to the ruin of large numbers of traders; and whether, in view of this expression of opinion by the people of the Transvaal, the Government intend to proceed with repatriation before the creation of responsible government.
§ * MR. CHURCHILLLord Selborne informs me that he is forwarding by 964 mail protests of the Johannesburg Chamber of Trade. In the meantime the protest of the Pretoria Chamber of Commerce has been received by telegraph, and is in the following terms:—;"That this chamber views with serious apprehension the announcement that His Majesty's Government are about to offer financial assistance to indentured Chinese labourers who desire to return to China, and this chamber therefore earnestly appeals to His Majesty's Government to reconsider its decision and to defer any action in connection with the Labour Importation Ordinance pending grant of responsible government to the Transvaal." His Majesty's Government propose to adhere to the policy already declared to Parliament.