§ Mr. RONALD M'NEILLasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the fact that number of alien immigrants from Eastern Europe had recently evaded the operations of the Aliens Act by crossing the English Channel as first-class passengers; and whether he would introduce legislation to render such evasion of the Act impossible in future; and (2) whether he was aware that a regular traffic in aliens was carried on by agents in this country, who enticed Armenians, Syrians, and others, into Great Britain by promising to assist their passage to America; that such aliens were frequently refused a passage by the shipping companies on the ground that they were suffering from disease, while others were carried to America and after being refused admission there by the immigration authorities were then transported back to Europe, travelling in this way for months from port to port until their resources were exhausted; and whether he would take steps to protect foreigners from such imposture at the hands of British agents, and to put an end to the traffic referred to?
§ Mr. McKENNAI will deal with both questions of the hon. Member together, as I have no doubt that they are both based on a letter and on a paragraph which appeared in recent issues of the "Times" newspaper with reference to a party of aliens who arrived at Newhaven on 30th April as first-class passengers. The aliens, though described in the letter as Russian or Polish Jews, were, according to my information, Armenians or Syrians, and formed part, I have no doubt, of the traffic in such persons to which the inspector under the Aliens Act has drawn attention in his Reports of the last few years. His Report for the year 1911, which will shortly be issued, refers again to this matter. It will be seen from the Reports that a great 588 deal has been done to suppress the traffic, and special attention will continue to be directed to it. Certain of the shipping companies have already assisted the inspector by their co-operation, and if this co-operation is extended, as I hope it will be, I am of opinion that this method of dealing with the traffic will be more effective than any legislation which I could propose to this House with any hope of its being accepted.
§ Mr. RONALD M'NEILLIs it not very easy to evade the Act if all that is necessary is to take a first-class ticket across the Channel? Will the right hon. Gentleman introduce legislation or take some other steps to prevent such evasion of the Act?
§ Mr. McKENNAPrimâ facie a first-class passenger might escape, but it is not a conclusive answer. As the answer which I have given shows, steps are being taken to prevent any palpable evasion of the Act by that means.