§ MR. SUMMERBELL (Sunderland)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can state the cost to the Colony of Trinidad of prosecutions of East Indian indentured immigrants in cases of felony and murders for the years 1905–6–7–8; and also the number of such immigrants convicted and acquitted for the same period.
§ COLONEL SEELYThe Secretary of State has just received from the officer administering the Government of Trinidad a statement showing the prosecutions of East Indian immigrants for breaches of the Immigration Ordinance and offences against the ordinary law for the two years, ended 30th June last, as suggested in the hon. Member's Question of 17th July. A copy of this statement will be sent to the hon. Member. The cost of prosecution in these cases is borne by the Government, but, as it is dis- 1128 tributed amongst several Departments, and is, to some extent, of an indirect character, the actual cost cannot be ascertained with any degree of accuracy.
§ *MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs)Is there anything in such statistics as are available to show that these indentured immigrants are other than law-abiding citizens?
§ COLONEL SEELYI am afraid that is a general Question I cannot answer.