HC Deb 24 March 1908 vol 186 cc1206-7
MR. STAVELEY-HILL

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Natives of Portuguese Africa employed in the Transvaal mines are allowed to take their wives and children with them; and whether any accommodation is provided for their families in the compounds.

MR. CHURCHILL

Provision for taking wives and children is not, as far as I know, made in any of the contracts, but a certain number of women do, as a matter of fact, emigrate and settle in the Transvaal.

MR. STAVELEY-HILL

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will state the rate of pay received by natives recruited for the Transvaal mines from Portuguese Africa, the number of hours they work per day, and whether there are restrictions preventing them doing other than unskilled labour.

MR. CHURCHILL

I cannot answer the Question in detail, but generally speaking, the conditions on which natives from Portuguese East Africa work are the same as those on which other Kaffirs work.

MR. STAVELEY-HILL

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a copy of the indenture entered into by the Natives from Portuguese Africa when they are recruited for labour in the Transvaal mines.

MR. CHURCHILL

The form has been altered since the copy in the possession of the Colonial Office was received, but amended copies are being sent home by the Governor, and the correct form shall be laid when it is received.

MR. STAVELEY-HILL

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Transvaal Government take steps to satisfy themselves that the natives recruited from Portuguese Africa thoroughly understand the terms of their contract; whether natives who complain of having entered into their contract without full knowledge of what they are undertaking are repatriated out of public funds; and, if so, how many have been so repatriated since June, 1907.

MR. CHURCHILL

I understand that contracts are registered before a Portuguese official. But in view of the very large number of natives who resort to the mines from Portuguese East Africa there can be little doubt that in any case the conditions would be well understood, and I am not aware of any complaints such as are referred to in the Question having been made.