SIR GILBERT PARKERI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, what is the death rate for 1907 and to the present period for Chinese in the gold mines of the Rand and for natives recruited in Nyassaland for the gold and diamond mines of the Transvaal, respectively.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Manchester, N.W.The average death rate per 1,000 per annum for Chinese on the Rand gold mines for 1907, is, I believe, 16.085. The death rate of Nyassaland natives on the Premier Mine for the twelve months ended June, 1907, the latest figures available was 106.6. I should add that a high rate of mortality has prevailed for the period among all the native labourers employed on the Premier Diamond Mine, as is shown by the fact that the rate amongst British Basutos and East Coast natives on the Premier Mine was 52.8 and 42.35, respectively, compared with a rate of 20.3 and 33.1 on other mines in the Transvaal. The Secretary of State does not underrate the serious nature of these figures and Reports. The subject has been engaging the attention of the Transvaal Government and steps are being taken to carry out the recommendations of a medical board which investigated the causes of this high rate.
SIR GILBERT PARKERasked whether His Majesty's Government would bring reasonable pressure on the Transvaal Government to carry out the express opinion of the House of Commons that recruiting from Nyassaland ought to be stopped in the interests of humanity.
§ MR. CHURCHILLI have no reason to believe that any pressure is necessary to make the Transvaal Government take all the steps they can to reduce this lamentable mortality. With regard to recruitment in Nyassaland, one of the principal reasons that induce the Government to sanction this recruiting is that the natives in any case make their way down habitually, and that no arrangements for the control of recruiting can be enforced.
§ Mr. CATHCART WASON (Orkney and Shetland)Cannot you prohibit the natives from sacrificing themselves in this fashion?
§ MR. CHURCHILLI am informed that if no recruiting were allowed a considerable number of natives would make their way down independently, although suffering frightful hardships on the road. But I agree that I do not think that reason altogether satisfactory.
§ *MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs)Is there any reason to believe that many of the natives of Nyassaland are finding their way down?
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo, as a certain number are allowed to be recruited.