Mr. POINTERasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the discussion in the West Indies, especially in Jamaica, for and against the policy of annexation by the United States; and whether, seeing that this unrest is largely caused by the much higher rates of wages paid to West Indian labourers in Panama and elsewhere in the United States of America, he will consider the whole question of the labourers' conditions in the West Indies, especially the effect of coolie indentured labour upon the native labourers' wages and other working conditions?
§ Colonel SEELYThe attention of the Secretary of State has not been drawn to any discussion of the kind referred to, but labour conditions in the West Indies are constantly engaging his attention.