§ *MR. REESI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Sikhs in British Columbia have been repatriated, or provided with the necessary protection in that country prior to repatriation.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Manchester, N.W.Of the 2,200 Indians who recently arrived in British Columbia, only fifty or sixty are understood to have been out of work at the beginning of this year. No destitution exists among them at present, and neither the municipal authorities nor the Government have been called upon to give support or relief, though several Indians who were allowed to land were supplied by private charity with clothing of which they were in need. No Indians were repatriated from Vancouver after being allowed to land, though about 125 were refused landing on account of disease; but forty-one were repatriated from Victoria, where there are also five Indians in gaol for vagrancy.