§ Mr. LINFIELDasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the evidence given before the Permanent Mandates Commission in Geneva by Sir James Allen, in which the High Commissioner repeatedly referred to the Chinese coolies being taken to the island of Samoa as being under indenture; and whether, in view of other official statements to the effect that there are no indentured Chinese coolies in the island of Nauru, he will say wherein the difference lies between the two systems under which the Chinese coolies are taken to these two islands?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREThe responsibility for the arrangements in Western Samoa rests with the Government of the Dominion of New Zealand. I can, therefore, only refer the hon. Member to the published information, including that contained in Parliamentary Paper 9190. Whatever may be the position in Western Samoa, it is the fact as stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Derby on the 5th December, that the Chinese labour in Nauru is not engaged under a system of indenture.