§ 5. Mr. THOMAS RICHARDSONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that agents in this country have been inducing Durham miners to leave their employment in this country for work in the mines at Vancouver, British Columbia, on the strength of a statement that there was no dispute there and that conditions were normal; that when the men arrived at Vancouver they found that a dispute was in progress, and being unwilling to act as strikebreakers they found themselves stranded; whether he has any power to prevent such misrepresentation; and, if not, whether be proposes to secure such power?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Buxton)My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. I have no information as to the cases to which my hon. Friend refers, but 1243 if he will be good enough to furnish me with particulars, I will cause inquiries to be made. Inducing a person to emigrate by means of false representations is an offence which is punishable under the Merchant Shipping Acts.