§ 21. Mr. O'GRADYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any information to give to the House regarding a disturbance which occurred on Plantation Rose Hall, in the district of Berbice, in the Colony of British Guiana, during the first fortnight of March last; whether, in addition to minor casualties, no less than fifteen lives were lost, one of those killed being a policeman and the remainder being East Indian immigrants, on the estate; whether the immigrants came to their death because an attack made by them on the policeman, who was in the execution of his duty, compelled the authorities to resort to firearms; and, if so, what was the nature of the duty which this policeman was executing, and what are the conditions of the indenture under which Indian labourers are attached for service on this and other plantations in British Guiana?
Mr. HARCOURTThe Governor of British Guiana has furnished me with an account of this regrettable disturbance, the substance of which is as follows: On the 12th of February certain complaints had been put forward by the immigrants which had been inquired into by the immigration authorities and proved to be without foundation and arrangements were made for the transfer of a few immigrants to another estate. The transfer was objected to. On the 6th of March the indentured immigrants on the plantation refused to go to work, and on the 7th of March they refused to allow the unindentured labourers to work on the estate. On the 12th, warrants for intimidation were sworn against five immigrants, and on the 13th the police proceeded to execute these warrants. They encountered a large mob armed with cutlasses and other weapons. After the Riot Act had been read a policeman, in executing one of the warrants, was cut down and killed, others were injured by missiles, and thereupon the order to fire was given to the police who were in considerable danger. I regret to state that the figure of fifteen lives lost is correct, and in addition about forty persons were seriously wounded, including two policemen. 1918 There have been no further disturbances. A commission of inquiry will be held as soon as the inquests are over. Particulars of the system of indenture in the Colony are given in paragraphs 224–226 of the Report of the Committee on Emigration from India to the Crown Colonies and Protectorates. (Cd. 5192.)