§ MR. SUMMERBELLI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can state whether a petition has been received from the National (Negro) Baptist Convention Foreign Board, which has a membership of 33,000 and some 100,000 to 120,000 adherents, or a total of nearly 150,000 of the population out of some 750,000 in the island, praying for a restriction of the importation of Indian coolies into Jamaica; and, if so, can he inform the House what action, if any, the Government intend to take in regard to the matter.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe petition to which the hon. Member refers has been received and answered. It is not proposed to take any further action in the matter.
§ MR. SUMMERBELLI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can state the number of Indian coolies imported into Jamaica during the past twenty years, giving the number for each year separately; the precise conditions under which they have been so imported; the length of their contracts of service; and the wages paid to such coolies.
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo, Sir. I regret to say I am not in a position to afford this information which would involve much labour and some expense.