HC Deb 21 March 1907 vol 171 cc846-7
SIR HOWARD VINCENT

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the peoples of Australasia have made frequent protests against the use of New Caledonia as a penal settlement by the French authorities in close proximity to their shores, and if, bearing those protests in mind, His Majesty's Government made any, and, if so, what, representation to the friendly consideration of our French allies in the course of the negotiations for the enforced labour of the New Hebrideans, with regard to this out-of-date method of dealing with Europeans convicts; and if those representations were received by the French Government in the spirit of the comity of nations.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Runciman, Dewsbury; for Sir Edward Grey)

The Australian Government have on several occasions called the attention of His Majesty's Government to the use of New Caledonia as a penal settlement by the French authorities, and communications have been made to the French Government on the subject. These representations have been received in the most friendly spirit by the Government of the Republic, but they have not felt themselves in a position to give any definite pledge of policy in the matter, though they have stated that there was no present intention of reviving the practice In reply to a representation made to them in May last His Majesty's Ambassador at Paris received a verbal assurance that there was no intention of renewing the system of sending convict labour to the island, but if any change of system were contemplated, they would not fail to inform Sir F. Bertie so as to enable him to warn His Majesty's Government. No further intimation on the subject has since been received. There is, and will be, no question of enforced labour in the New Hebrides and no negotiations have taken place respecting it.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

Are French convicts still being sent there?

MR. RUNCIMAN

The assurance given by the French Republic is that there is no intention of renewing the system.

SIR GILBERT PARKER (Gravesend)

May I ask the hon. Gentleman whether, if it is the fact that convicts are sent there for life, it would not be a great many years before New Caledonia ceased to be a penal settlement?

MR. RUNCIMAN

The hon. Member is just as good a judge of the period of longevity as I am.