HC Deb 21 May 1908 vol 189 cc493-4
* MR. REES

I beg to ask the Undersecretary of State for the Colonies, whether such statistics as are available indicate any higher degree of criminality in the British Indian immigrants into Trinidad than obtains in the case of other inhabitants of that island; and whether his Answer is based upon a comparison excluding or including mere breaches of the Immigration Ordinance.

MR. RUNCIMAN (for Colonel SEELY)

The statistics furnished by the Government of Trinidad show that, apart from convictions for breach of the Immigration Ordinance, the number of convictions for ordinary offences of East Indians in Trinidad compares favourably with that of the rest of the population. The Secretary of State is informed that the great majority of East Indians in Trinidad are industrious and law-abiding.