§ MAJOR SEELY (Liverpool, Abercromby)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the total number of unexpired licences for the importation of Chinese coolies into South Africa; and at what date all further importation will have ceased.
§ MR. CHURCHILL2,110 coolies are at present on the sea and 8,142 remain to be recruited. Lord Selborne reports 406 that the date of cessation of importation cannot be fixed at present.
§ MR. FELL (Great Yarmouth)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, having regard to the evidence that the Chinese coolies are unwilling to leave the mines at Johannesburg and return to China until their contracts expire, the Government will now reconsider the Resolution to grant no more licences for the introduction of Chinese into the Transvaal under the Ordinance.
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo Sir, His Majesty's Government have no intention of removing a prohibition deliberately determined and declared to Parliament.