§ MR. J. M. ROBERTSON (Northumberland, Tyneside)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether British Indians resident in the Transvaal have taken the step of becoming naturalised as Portuguese subjects in Portuguese territory, and have thereafter been able to enter the Transvaal freely; and whether the Secretary of State for the Colonies recommends British Indians to follow this procedure in order to live freely in the Transvaal.
§ COLONEL SEELYI have no information as to any such incidents as are referred to by my hon. friend.
§ MR. J. M. ROBERTSONasked whether naturalisation as Portuguese would enable these Indians to get over the difficulty.
§ COLONEL SEELYsaid he had looked up the documents, but as the subject involved a legal question he asked his hon. friend to put down a precise Question.
§ MR. J. M. ROBERTSONI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that a number of British Indians domiciled in the Transvaal, upon returning from India by Delagoa Bay without having registered under the Asiatic Law Amendment Act, have been arrested at the Transvaal frontier; whether, among those arrested, there were an aged woman, a paralytic, and a number of infants, who were exposed for a day and night in the open air; whether for two days they were offered only religiously unclean food and prevented from receiving other food; whether a number of the women and children were separated from their male protectors and sent to Johannesburg in trucks; and whether His Majesty's Government will appeal to the Government of the Transvaal to adopt other methods in dealing with such cases.
§ COLONEL SEELYThe Secretary of State, on his attention being drawn to allegations of ill-treatment of Indians, telegraphed on 13th October to inquire. The following reply was yesterday received from the Governor:—"Your telegram of 13th October, No. 1, on 29th September fifty-nine adult and seventeen minor Asiatics entered Colony without necessary certificates of registration. They were removed from train at Komati Poort where the accommodation provided them was sufficient and clean. Ample food including rice was provided them but they preferred to obtain their own from outside lockup which they were allowed to do. Usual lockup regulations considerably relaxed in their favour. They were subsequently taken to Barberton for trial, fifty eight adults convicted and sentenced to fine of twenty five pounds each or in default to two months imprisonment, despatch follows by mail. Ministers promise further report on subject of diet of Indian prisoners." I have not at present any further information.
§ MR. LUPTON (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)Can the hon. Gentleman tell us what are the precise advantages of being a subject of the British Empire?
§ COLONEL SEELYThere are innumerable advantages, but those advantages are somewhat minimised when you deliberately break the law.
§ MR. J. M. ROBERTSONWhat about the infants exposed in the open air?
§ COLONEL SEELYWe have telegraphed for information, but I can assure the hon. Gentleman there is every desire to avoid unduly harsh treatment.