Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that non-European British subjects in the Straits Settlements enjoyed a statutory right, to free competition for entry into the Civil Service of their own Colony up to 1867, and that since that date they continued to enjoy the same right, though not by Statute, till 1904; and whether he will state what conditions must be satisfied before he restores to British-born Chinese and Malays the rights of British citizenship of which they have been deprived?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Harcourt)I am not aware that any statutory right existed, but I would suggest that my hon. Friend should address the first part of his question to my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for India, as the Colonial Office had no connection with the Straits Settlements before 1867. Certainly no right, statutory or otherwise, such as my hon. Friend mentioned, was recognised by the Colonial Office before 1881, when cadetships were first awarded on the results of a competitive examination. I have already informed by hon. Friend that I should be willing to consider the question of admitting British-born Chinese or Malays to the examination, if there were any chance of such candidates being successful, or if there were a local demand for the concession, which at present is not the case.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTArising out of the right hon. Gentleman's statement that he would admit native-born Chinese and Malays to the examinations if he was satisfied that there was any chance of their being successful, will he explain to a puzzled House how he can form any opinion as to the chances of the native- 1865 born Chinese and Malays passing examinations if he refuses to admit them to the examinations; and, if he is satisfied that they have no chance of passing, will he explain what harm would be done by allowing them to sit for examination?
§ Mr. HARCOURTI do not think I can admit the implication as to the rest of the House; as to the latter part of the question, I think it would be fair that I should have notice.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state who were the past Governors of Hong Kong or the Straits Settlements or High Commissioners of the Federated Malay States who made representations that all British subjects who are not of pure European birth on both sides should be excluded from the Civil and Police Services of these Colonies and Protectorates, and who are the prominent members of the Chinese communities who have expressed decided views to the same effect and whom the Colonial Office regards as representing the views of their fellow-countrymen; whether the Chinese members of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements have even been consulted; and whether he will publish Papers on the matter?
§ Mr. HARCOURTThe answer to the first and third parts of the question is in the negative. I am not aware whether the Chinese members of the Legislative Council have been formally consulted, but they have ample opportunities of representing their views to the Governor in Council or outside.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if the fundamental laws of the British Empire are to be reversed for reasons which are only given in secret minutes, and which the right hon. Gentleman, with his undoubted courage, is afraid to disclose to this House, and on the recommendation of alleged persons who are anonymous?
§ Mr. HARCOURTI think I shall have to look at the so-called "fundamental laws" before I answer that question.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the names of those candidates 1866 who passed the examination for Eastern cadetships held in August last, and who have been assigned to Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements, or the Federated Malay States; and what steps were taken to secure that they satisfied the new Regulation made by the Colonial Office that they should be of pure European descent on both sides?
§ Mr. HARCOURTThe names have been published by the Civil Service Commissioners in their annual volume. As to the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on the 13th November last to a question asked by the hon. and learned Member for North-East Cork.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTMay I ask whether these geneological investigations are conducted by the right hon. Gentleman himself or by the Civil Service Commissioners?
§ Mr. HARCOURTYes, Sir; I assist at all these operations.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that these investigations would be more suited to the College of Heralds?
§ Mr. HARCOURTIf I require their assistance I shall ask it.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in view of the recent Regulations made by the Colonial Office excluding from the Civil and Police Services of Hong Kong, the Federated Malay States, and the Straits Settlements all British subjects who are not of pure European descent on both sides, and in order to prevent British subjects from spending time and money in preparing themselves for examination only to find themselves excluded by this far-reaching colour bar at the last moment, whether he will now frame rules showing how many generations an Asiatic or other non-European family must reside in Europe in order to obtain pure European descent on both sides?
§ Mr. HARCOURTNo, Sir.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think that it is a matter meriting his attention that the rights of British subjects should be decided upon by some official guided by no set of rules, subject only to the prejudice or preference of some anonymous 1867 official; would he submit his own pedigree to the investigation of a committee that was bound by no rules?
§ Mr. HARCOURTNo, Sir.
§ Mr. HARCOURTIf it is desired I will submit my pedigree to the hon. Gentleman, who equally is bound by no rules.
§ Mr. WATTWould the right hon. Gentleman consider it relevant to the inquiry to consider the question of Plantagenet descent?
§ Mr. HARCOURTThat would be an obvious recommendation.