§ MR. REESI beg to ask the Under-secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is the intention of the Government to remove their veto upon the recruiting of Central African natives for the mines in the Transvaal; whether this question will be considered before the repatriation of the Chinese; and whether the most recent figures available show any diminution in the death-rate amongst tropical natives imported into the Transvaal for labour in the mines.
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo application has been made so far to recruit during the coming season. The Secretary of State is in communication with the Transvaal Government with regard to the mortality. Figures for the last 352 detachment of labourers imported have not yet been received, but for the previous importations the death-rate, though still high, has dropped, owing to the men getting acclimatised.