§ 27. Mr. LINFIELDasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the League of Nations has decided to place upon the agenda and discuss next September the whole question of slavery; whether the Council of the League has been asked to obtain any information available in time for the meeting of the Assembly; and whether His Majesty's Government will co-operate with the Council in any action it is decided to take with a view to putting an end to this traffic in human beings?
§ Mr. McNEILLThe answer to the first two parts of the question is in the, affirmative. As regards the last part, His Majesty's Government will naturally do what they can to assist in carrying out any resolution of the Council or Assembly.
§ Mr. NEWBOLDWill the Council consider the question of wage slavery here?
§ Mr. C. ROBERTSDoes that mean specifically that the Foreign Office will give any information which it has in reference to slavery in Abyssinia?
§ Mr. McNEILLI could not answer that question without notice, because I do not know, first, whether we have any information with regard to Abyssinia, and, second, whether it would be proper to give it if we had.
§ 28. Mr. LINFIELDasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to reports from Paris, published in this country, upon the recrudescence of slavery, including considerable slave traffic between Madagascar and the African mainland, and the efforts being made by the French Government to put a stop to this traffic; and whether His Majesty's Government will consult the French Government as to the feasibility of joint naval efforts in this direction along the east coast of the African continent?
§ Mr. McNEILLI Faye been unable to trace the reports to which the hon. Member is referring. If he will inform me where they are to he found, I will consider the matter.