HC Deb 21 March 1910 vol 15 c746
Mr. FELL

asked the Under-Secretary for the Colonies if he had official information showing that there had been a marked increase in crime in the Transvaal since the repatriation of the Chinese commenced; would he state what number of Kaffirs were now undergoing imprisonment, and what percentage this bore to the total number, and if this was an increase on the percentage in previous years; and, if so, could he give any explanation of the cause of the increase?

Colonel SEELY

No, Sir. I have no official information later than 1908, and whatever the figures may be I have no reason to think that the presence of the Chinese was necessary to keep order and diminish crime.

Mr. FELL

Has the right hon. Gentleman any particulars of an up-to-date kind of imprisonment in the Transvaal, and does it not show an immense increase?

Colonel SEELY

Since I have drafted the reply I have seen a newspaper which states that there is an official return issued on 18th February, showing that the right hon. Gentleman is misinformed, and that there is a diminution in crime, which is not surprising seeing that the death rate of Chinese from murder, homicide, and suicide works out almost exactly as ten times greater than that of the Kaffirs.

An HON. MEMBER

Is the right hon. Gentleman referring to a newspaper report?

Colonel SEELY

Yes. Since I drafted the reply I have seen the "Cape Times,' which purported to give the official return of the number of persons imprisoned in the Transvaal. I will be glad to furnish a copy. I am not quoting it as being official information. We have not received if officially. The newspaper arrived by the last mail.