§ Mr. HOUSTONasked whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that of the official estimate of 755 Chinese seamen who deserted or were paid off from vessels in the port of Liverpool during the year ending 31st March, 1911, many of these alleged seamen were really passengers and were entered on the ships' articles as members of the crew for purposes of expediency in evading the Aliens Act or economy in avoiding payment of the Suez Canal passenger dues by the owners or agents of these vessels; and will he say in how many instances the passage money from China has been prepaid by or on behalf of Chinese employers or agents located in Liverpool, and how many of these 755 Chinamen entered this country under in denture obligations similar in terms and conditions to those applying to Chinese labourers introduced into South Africa prior to 1906?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLInquiries are being made of the police, but I am not at present in possession of any facts supporting the suggestion that many of these seamen were really passengers. I have no information in regard to the latter part of the question. If the hon. Member has any definite information of specific evasions of the Aliens Act by the bringing in of alien immigrants as seamen, no doubt he will communicate it to me.
§ Mr. HOUSTONIn view of the remarkable want of information in his department with regard to the Chinese, will the 881 right hon. Gentleman take stops to see that the information at his disposal is kept up to date, as in the case of the Board of Trade; and if he thinks this is a desirable thing, will he consider the advisability of devoting more time to the affairs of the Home Department and less to the Parliament Bill?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI hope the hon. Member will not assume that there is any difference of opinion between us on the subject, either in regard to Mormons or Chinese.