HC Deb 05 March 1908 vol 185 cc873-5
Mr. FELL (Great Yarmouth)

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if there is any substantial difference between the treatment of Chinese and Native labourers in the mines in the Transvaal and in the conditions under which they respectively labour.

THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Manchester, N.W.

The special restrictions and disabilities under which Chinese labourers are placed by the Labour Importation Ordinances during the remainder of their term of service do not, of course, apply to natives. In other respects the conditions of employment are not dissimilar.

Mr. FELL

Are all kept in compounds natives as well as Chinese?

* COLONEL SEELY (Liverpool, Abercromby)

In the event of anyone harbouring an escaped labourer other than a. Chinaman, or giving him a crust of bread, is he liable to imprisonment with hard labour?

Mr. CHURCHILL

The conditions under which special restrictions are imposed on the Chinese are fully set out in the Ordinance.

Mr. FELL

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered my Question—Are they kept in compounds?

Mr. CHURCHILL

The whole compound question has been often discussed! in this House.

Mr. FELL

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies how many Chinese and native labourers were working in the mines in the Transvaal on 1st January, 1906; and how many of each class were working there on 1st January, 1908.

Mr. CHURCHILL

As I state yesterday in answer to the noble Lord the Member for the Horsham Division the official Returns show the numbers employed on the last day of each month. The number of Chinese on 31st December, 1905, was 47,267, and on 31st December, 1907, 37,118, and not, as I said yesterday, 35,676; but between these two dates coolies were imported on licences issued for 16,000 under the late Government. The natives employed on the same dates numbered 93,831 and 149,757, respectively.

Mr. FELL

Am I to understand that there is a larger number of coloured persons in these compounds compared with what there was when the Government took office?

Mr. CHURCHILL

There is a very much larger number of coloured natives in South Africa employed in working the mines than when the Government took office.

Mr. FELL

Has a large increase taken place in the black population and a decrease in the Chinese?

Mr. CHURCHILL

The hon. Gentleman has stated the facts perfectly accurately.

Mr. FELL

And they live in compounds.