§ MR. DOBSON (Plymouth)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any official information showing that white women are kept in the Chinese compounds around Johannesburg; and, if so, whether he will take stops to quickly and effectually render such an arrangement illegal.
§ MR. NUSSEY (Pontefract)May I also ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any official information in regard to the presence of white women in Chinese compounds in South Africa; and, if so, what action, if any, he proposes to take in the matter.
§ MR. RUNCIMAN (for Mr. CHURCHILL)If the hon. Member does not object I will answer another similar Question addressed to me by my hon. friend the Member for Pontefract at the same time. The Secretary of State has no official information that white women are kept in the Chinese compounds, and has no reason whatever to believe that there is any truth whatever in any statement to that effect. Immoral relations between white women and coolies are already punishable in either party under the law of the Transvaal by long terms of imprisonment with hard labour.