HC Deb 02 May 1907 vol 173 cc1060-1
DR. RUTHERFORD

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seeing the state of destitution in which native children are often to be seen in the larger towns of Egypt, he will advise the Egyptian Government to institute homes for neglected children of both sexes.

The hon. Member had also given notice of the following Questions:—

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to complaints to the effect that in the early part of List year the banks of the Ismailia Canal running through Cairo were infected by exudations from stagnant residue in the canal bed, no steps having been taken to clean out the canal, as had been done in previous years at low Nile; and whether he will advise the Egyptian Government to adopt measures to prevent the recurrence of this danger to the health of the capital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seeing that the Egyptian towns of Aswan, Kena, Girga, Sohag, Minia, Fayum, Zagazig, Damietta, Mehalet Kebir, Shibinel Kom, Menuf, Zifta, Mit Ghamr, Benha, and Damanhur, with aggregate populations of 346,000, are still wholly or partly dependent on unfiltered Nile water for drinking purposes, he will advisethe Egyptian Government to institute an improved system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there is any system of drainage and sewerage in the villages or towns of Egypt with the exception of Alexandria.

SIR E. GREY

This Question and the three others put by the hon. Member relate to questions of Egyptian internal administration. And, while I have every desire to encourage sanitary reform, I must point out that this is one of the matters which receive constant attention from the Egyptian Government, and that the direct interference of His Majesty's Government in matters of administrative detail is both impracticable and undesirable. As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the progress of social reform in every country must be gradual, and particular measures must depend upon the resources of the State and the pressure of other claims upon them.

SIR GILBERT PARKER

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if it is not the case that there is less destitution, both in the adult and infantile population of Egypt, than in most European countries?

SIR EDWARD GREY

I have no authoritative figures before me, but I should be glad to be assured that that was the truth.