§ MR. O'GRADYI beg to ask the Under - Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the fact that fifteen Indians arriving at Vancouver on the steamer "Empress," of Japan, and who were passed by the Dominion immigration 570 authorities and released from the detention shed, were at once informed that as they could not comply with the provisions of the Natal Act they must be deported, and on their refusal to re-embark were imprisoned; and, in view of the fact that the Natal Act does not apply to Japanese or Chinese immigrants, he will make representations to the Government of Canada that the Natal Act in its special application to Indian Asiatics should be reconsidered, and that the fifteen Indians should be released pending such consideration.
§ MR. CHURCHILLI understand that the Indians referred to have been released by order of the Court of British Columbia. The Secretary of State is in correspondence with the Government of Canada on the subject of the Act, which is not one of special application to Indian Asiatics.