§ MR. BRIDGEMAN (Shropshire, Oswestry)I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies 1518 how many natives from Central Africa are now employed on the Premier Diamond Mine and on other South African mines; if these natives have been recruited under official sanction; and, if so when was this sanction given.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Manchester, N.W.According to a Return up to the end of July last there were 463 Nyassaland natives on the Premier Mine. These natives on the Premier Mine were recruited as an experiment under a sanction given by the Secretary of State in November, 1906, for recruiting 500 natives. Sanction was at the same time given for the recruiting experimentally of a further 500 for surface work only on the gold mines, but these latter were not recruited. I understand that there are a certain number of Nyassaland natives at work on the mines who have not been recruited but have found their own way down, though I do not know how many.
§ MR. LYTTELTON (St. George's, Hanover Square)Will the right hon. Gentleman lay on the Table Papers with regard to the recruiting of Central African natives during the last eighteen months?
§ MR. CHURCHILLYes, Sir.
§ CAPTAIN CRAIG (Down, E.); Are these labourers separated from their wives, and do the conditions under which they work constitute servile conditions?
§ [No Answer was returned.]
§ MR. BRIDGEMANI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if any limit is placed on the number of natives permitted to be recruited from Central Africa for the Transvaal mines.
§ MR. CHURCHILLAfter very careful consideration the Secretary of State has informed the Governor of the Transvaal that the resumption of recruiting Nyasaland natives cannot be authorised in existing circumstances. No recruiting has taken place since the end of 1906.
§ SIR GILBERT PARKER (Gravesend)When was the Governor so informed?
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo natives have been recruited since 1906. The question was should it be allowed again, and it was decided last month that the conditions which prevail in regard to mortality would not warrant it.
§ MR. BRIDGEMANIs there no recruiting then from Central Africa?
§ MR. CHURCHILLNo organised recruiting, but we cannot prevent individual natives finding their way down.