§ MAJOR ANSTRUTHER-GRAY (St. Andrews Burghs)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any official information showing that a number of British West Indians have been hold in a state of shivery at the Galapagos Islands, and have been chained and beaten and otherwise maltreated; if so, what steps he intends to take to prevent the recurrence of such incidents; and whether he will demand prompt and adequate compensation for the victims and punishment to the persons implicated.
§ SIR EDWARD GREYI would refer the hon. Member to the Answer returned to the hon. Member for Mid Armagh on the same subject yesterday as to the facts† The question of what steps should be taken to repatriate the men referred to is now under consideration.
§ MAJOR ANSTRUTHER-GRAYMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman will make stringent inquiries as to whether these natives have been encouraged to gamble and borrow money with a view to keeping them in a state of servitude?
§ SIR EDWARD GREYThe point is this. They owe money to the company, and because they owe money they have been prevented so far from leaving the islands. I do not consider that they ought to be prevented from leaving the islands, and what is now under consideration is what steps should be taken to secure their repatriation.