Lords Sitting of 15 June 1888

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—First Reading—National Debt (Supplemental)* (155).
Committee—Report—Augmentation of Benefices Act Amendment* (78).
Third Reading—Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887, Amendment* (91); Rochester Bishopric* (98), and passed.
PROVISIONAL ORDER BILLS—First Reading—Gas and Water* (156); Water (No. 2)* (157).
Second Reading—Metropolitan Police* (134).
Committee—Report—Public Health (Scotland) (Denny and Dunipace Water)* (136).
Third Reading—Local Government (Poor Law) (No. 4)* (120); Local Government (Poor Law) (No. 5)* (121); Metropolitan Commons (Chislehurst and St. Paul's Cray)* (122), and passed.

THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES— CHINESE IMMIGRANTS.
THE EARL OF CARNARVONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he could communicate to the House the telegram which was stated to have been received with regard to the resolutions adopted at the Australasian Conference recently held on the subject of Chinese immigration?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Lord KNUTSFORD), in reply, said he had received the following telegram, which, he thought, would sufficiently show that the hope he entertained that the matter would be fully and carefully discussed from all points of view had been fully justified.
"14th June.—At the Australasian Conference held in Sydney on the 12th, 13th, and 14th inst., at which the colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, and Western Australia were represented, the question of Chinese immigration and your cablegram to the Governor of South Australia in connection therewith were fully considered. The members of the Conference are sensible of the wish of Her Majesty's Government to meet the views of the colonies, and have specially deliberated upon the possibility of securing legislation which, while effective, should be of a character so far as possible in accordance with the feeling and views of the Chinese Government. They have not overlooked the political and commercial interests of the Empire nor the commercial interests of the colonies. In 1886 the total exports to China from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania were valued at £16,000 out of a total export trade amounting to £38,700,000. Our imports from China in the same year were valued at £846,000. While the custom of the colonies, therefore, is very valuable to China, that country offers no present outlet of importance for Australasian trade. There has never been any attempt on the part of any of the colonies to close their markets to the imports of the Chinese Empire, although most, if not all, of them are now produced in great quantities in the British Empire of India. The suggestion that any restrictions which are to be imposed should be of a general nature, so as to give power to exclude European or American immigrants, has been very carefully deliberated upon, but no scheme for giving effect to it has been found practicable. As the length of time to be occupied in negotiations between the Imperial Government and the Government of China is uncertain, and as the colonies in the

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meantime have reason to dread a large influx from China, the several Governments feel impelled to legislate immediately to protect their citizens against an invasion which is dreaded because of its results, not only upon the labour market, but upon the social and moral condition of the people. At the same time the Conference is most anxious that Her Majesty's Government should enter into communication with the Government of China, with a view to obtaining as soon as possible a treaty under which all Chinese except officials, travellers, merchants, students, and similar classes should be entirely excluded from the Australasian Colonies. By way of assisting to bring about such an understanding the Conference has recommended the abolition of the poll tax now levied upon Chinese immigrants. While believing that the local legislation now proposed will accomplish its object, the Colonies would prefer that the exclusion of the Chinese should be brought about by international agreement of a friendly nature, as in the case of the United States. The Conference further desires that Her Majesty's Government should induce the Governments of the Crown Colonies of Hong Kong, Straits Settlements, and Labuan to at once prohibit the emigration of all Chinese to the Australasian Colonies, unless they should belong to the classes above mentioned. The Chinese who may claim to be considered British subjects in those Colonies are very numerous, and the certainty that their migration hither was prevented would give great and general satisfaction. The resolutions arrived at by the Conference, and which have been embodied in a draft Bill, are as follows:—1. That, in the opinion of this Conference, the further restriction of Chinese immigration is essential to the welfare of the people of Australasia. 2. That this Conference is of opinion that the desired restriction can best be secured through the diplomatic action of the Imperial Government and by uniform Australasian legislation. 3. That this Conference resolves to consider a joint representation to the Imperial Government for the purpose of obtaining the desired diplomatic action. 4. That this Conference is of opinion that the desired Australasian legislation should contain the following provisions:—(1) That it shall apply to all Chinese with specified exceptions; (2) that the restriction should be by limitation of the number of Chinese which any vessel may bring into any Australian port to one passenger to every 500 tons of the ship's burden; (3) that the passage of Chinese from one Colony to another without consent of the Colony which they enter be made a misdemeanour. The first and fourth resolutions were indorsed by all the Colonies except Tasmania, who dissented, and Western Australia, who did not vote; while the second and third were carried unanimously. As a whole, therefore, they faithfully represent the opinion of the Parliaments and peoples of Australia. In conclusion, the Conference would call attention to the fact that the treatment of Chinese in the Australian Colonies has been invariably humane and considerate, and that in spite of the intensity of popular feeling during the recent sudden influx good order has been everywhere maintained. In so serious a crisis the Colonial Governments have felt called upon to
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take strong and decisive action to protect their peoples; but, in so doing, they have been studious of Imperial interests, of international obligations, and of their reputation as law-abiding communities. They now confidently rely upon the support and assistance of Her Majesty's Government in their endeavour to prevent their country from being overrun by an alien race, who are incapable of assimilation in the body politic, strangers to our civilization, out of sympathy with our aspirations, and unfitted for our free institutions, to which their presence in any number would be a source of constant danger."
THE EARL OF CARNARVONasked who had sent the telegram?
LORD KNUTSFORDsaid, it was sent by Lord Carrington by desire of the Conference.

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE LATE GERMAN EMPEROR.
THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The Marquess of SALISBURY): My Lords, it is my melancholy duty to announce to this House what, no doubt, is already known to many of your Lordships—the death of the Emperor of Germany. I need not say how deeply we grieve for the loss of one so justly valued both here and in Germany. Our Queen has lost a beloved son-in-law, and Germany a most enlightened ruler. It will be your Lordships' desire to put on formal record the sympathy which you feel for the afflicted relatives, and for the nation that has lost so much. I therefore give Notice, according to precedent, that I shall move an Address to Her Majesty the Queen and an Address to Her Imperial Majesty the Empress of Germany, on Monday next.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY: My Lords, in the absence of my noble Friend who leads the Opposition in this House (Earl Granville), and who is prevented from being present, I should not like to let this opportunity pass without saying that I am certain that every word that has been said by the noble Marquess opposite is fully echoed on this side of the House. If I may be permitted to say something on my own behalf, I would add that, apart from the high respect always felt for one in so great a position as that occupied by the late Emperor, and the admiration which all of us have for the noble qualities which he displayed throughout his

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career, those who had the honour of being personally known to him must have felt that he was one who inspired the deepest feelings of attachment to him on the part of all who had the privilege of his acquaintance.

STREET IMPROVEMENTS (METROPOLIS.)

  QUESTION. OBSERVATIONS.
  THE EARL OF MEATHasked the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works, Whether it was necessary that Piccadilly Circus, one of the principal sites of the Metropolis, should be disfigured by rough balks of timber supporting an unsightly wooden railing placed round a small paved space in the centre of the Circus; and, if so, how long Piccadilly Circus was likely to remain in this apparently uncared for condition? He supposed that the balks of timber were kept in their present position to show that the Metropolitan Board had not given the place up to the public. It was a pity that this spot, and others elsewhere, should be surrounded by unsightly hoardings when temporary railings could be set up on certain days in the year to prove that there had been no dedication to the public. He was aware that the Metropolitan Board, as regarded its health, was in a very unsatisfactory condition, and that it was often the case that a man in extremis looked upon mundane affairs with different eyes from a man who was strong and vigorous. At the same time, he hoped the noble Lord might be able to assure their Lordships that although the life of the Board was not likely to be very prolonged, it would act as private individuals were supposed to act in that condition, and that it would set its affairs in order so as to transmit them to its successor in a satisfactory state. He might add that, although the Board had been the object of much hard hitting lately, yet he was certain that there were large numbers of the public who felt that they owed a debt of gratitude to the Board for all it had done in the way of improving the Metropolis, especially for its two greatest works—the main drainage of London and the Thames Embankment.
  LORD MAGHERAMORNEsaid, he had to thank the noble Earl for his kind recognition of the services of the Metro-
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  politan Board of Works, which had been, and were now, being unduly, and he might say most atrociously, assailed in many quarters. He confessed that there were subjects which he would not allude to, because he saw present the noble and learned Lord opposite (Lord Herschell), who was the head of the Commission which was investigating them, and he would not have touched on the subject at all had not the noble Earl done so; but he should not be worthy of his position as Chairman of the Board, which he had held for 18 years, if he did not say that he considered the great bulk of his colleagues to be as noble and as straightforward men as any in either that or the other House of Parliament. He said that fearlessly, and he defied anybody to prove the contrary. When he was asked whether, when they retired, they would hand on to those who should succeed them everything in the best possible form, he answered, "Yes, we will do it." They would stick to their work and hand it over to those whom Parliament might select to succeed them. As to the special point of the noble Earl's Question, he could only say that the Board was now considering what should be done with the vacant site in Piccadilly Circus. The balks of timber, which the noble Earl did not seem to think pretty—and he agreed with him—had been placed there for the purpose of reserving the control of the Board over the place, it being undesirable to subject it to the unfettered discretion of the Vestry. Their reason for thus acting was this. Their Lordships were all aware that wherever there was an open space there were all kinds of ideas as to what should be done with it, and many suggestions had been made and many plans proposed for the adornment of this site. One proposal was that a statue or fountain should be erected; another that an artistic lamppost should be set up; and a third that the place should be planted with trees. Another fanciful suggestion was very curious—namely, that a retiring room should be built underneath it, but this idea certainly did not find favour with his colleagues. He thought the Metropolitan Board might be proud of its West End streets and of the communication at this particular point; and they were anxious, if they were to die—and it seemed they were to die—

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  but be that as it might, they would like as long as they were given the power in their own days to put something, or let somebody else put up something, which would be a credit to the Metropolis, in what he considered to be one of the best spaces of London. There were so many different suggestions that the matter required careful consideration. They were giving it that consideration, and he hoped before they were extinguished that they should be able to give an opinion and a decision on that important question, and he would assure their Lordships that they would be guided in their decision by the desire that the adornment of this fine site should be a credit to the Metropolis.

  PRIVATE AND PROVISIONAL ORDER CONFIRMATION BILLS.
  Ordered, That Standing Orders Nos. 72. and 82. be suspended for the remainder of the Session.
  House adjourned at a quarter before Five o'clock, to Monday next a quarter before Eleven o'clock.