§ SIR GILBERT PARKER (Gravesend)I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies whether the Chinese Government made any representations or protests to this Government or to the Transvaal Government on the repeal of the Transvaal Ordinance prohibiting the use of opium.
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo, Sir. I am not aware of any such protest.
§ SIR GILBERT PARKERI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the two pounds of opium which a Chinaman may import into the Transvaal is restricted to personal use only or may be sold to his fellow-countrymen; and whether he will state the market value per pound of gum opium in the Transvaal, and what is considered 821 the average daily consumption of gum opium by on Oriental.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe new Ordinance which was passed because the old Ordinance was defective and not sufficiently stringent to put down illicit trade in opium, does not allow Chinamen to import two pounds of opium. No one may import opium into the Transvaal except registered chemists and druggists under permits issued by the Colonial Secretary, and no opium may be sold except on production of a permit to purchase. I am not able to answer the last part of the Question.
§ SIR GILBERT PARKERWill not the hon. Gentleman supply the information asked for in the Question?
§ MR. WILLIAM RUTHERFORD (Liverpool, West Derby)Will the hon. Gentleman lay Papers on the subject of the Question?
§ MR. CHURCHILLI am not clear what Papers there are on the subject. If there is a general desire that Papers should be laid, I will bring the matter to the notice of my noble friend. I am sure he would wish to satisfy the desire of the House.
§ * MR. SMEATON (Stirlingshire)May I ask whether the hon. Gentleman is aware that Chinese headmen frequently make a secret contract with their coolies to pay them half in opium and that the Chinese are the most inveterate and most dangerous opium smugglers in the world?
§ [No Answer was returned.]