§ MR. FELLTo ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been called to the Report just published that the rate of mortality among the Chinese labourers in the Rand mines is less than half the rate of mortality among the natives employed there; and if he has received any explanation of the causes of this high death rate among the natives.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe hon. Member will see by reference to page 25 of Cd. 2786 that most of the native mortality on the Rand is due to the susceptibility of the native to chest diseases, and especially to pneumonia. The death-rate has, however, fallen from 43.59 per 1,000 in 1904 to 31.661 for the first three months of the present year.
§ [COMMISSION.]
§ Message to attend the Lords Commissioners.
§ The House went, and having returned,
§ MR. SPEAKERreported the Royal Assent to a number of Acts. (See p.425.)
§ And afterwards His Majesty's Most Gracious Speech was delivered to both Houses of Parliament by the Lord High Chancellor (in pursuance of His Majesty's Commands).
§ Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
§ After which the Lord Chancellor said:
§ My Lords and Gentlemen,—
§ By virtue of His Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in His Majesty's Name, and in obedience to His Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Saturday the Sixteenth day of November next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Saturday the Sixteenth day of November next.
§ End of the Second Session of the twenty-eighth Parliament of the United Kingdom and Ireland in the Seventh Year of the Reign of His Majesty King Edward VII.