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Payment of Commutation Allowances to expenditure) £1,500,000 (actual). II. Retired Members of Indian Uncovenanted Services.

SIR SEYMOUR KING: To ask the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the fact that retired members of the Indian Uncovenanted Services who draw their pensions in the United Kingdom,

under the decision of the Select Committee

(Including repayment of £1,000,000 to £12,000,000 (estimate). III. A. (Repaid Imperial Exchequer for rolling stock) to Imperial Treasury) £3,000,000 (actual). B. (Repaid to Imperial Treasury) +£2,000,000 (estimate). IV. A. (Repai to Imperial Treasury) £1,600,000 (estimate). B. (Repaid to Imperial Treasury) +£1,800,000 (estimate). C. (Repaid to Imperial Treasury) £600,000 (estimate). Total £26,482,700.

Transvaal Labour Ordinance.
MR. BUCHANAN: To ask the Secre-

of this House which sat in 1890, at the rate of 1s. 94. for the rupee, are obliged to commute on a rupee basis the propor: tion of their pension which is sanctioned under the regulations, thus incidentally depriving them of a part of the benefit to which they are entitled under the settle-tary of State for the Colonies whether he ment of 1890, the Government will allow will have placed in the Library_the commutation allowances in these cases to Transvaal Master and Servants Law, be remitted home at the officially fixed 1880, Law No. 3 of 1885, and the Peace rate of 1s. 9d. Preservation Ordinance, 1903, or the sections of these Acts referred to in Clause 32 of the Draft Labour Ordinance.

(Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) The matter has not been brought before me hitherto. I will give it careful consideration.

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(Answered by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton.) Copies will be placed in the Library.

QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE.

Artillery Volunteers Armament.

MR. SEYMOUR ORMSBY-GORE (Lincolnshire, Gainsborough): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what steps are being taken towards the rearmament of the mobile batteries of the Artillery Volunteers.

*THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER, Belfast, W.): Forty-four batteries have been armed with the 4.7 inch gun-total 176 guns. The re-armament of the remaining eightyone batteries with fifteen pounders has been commenced by the issue of fortyeight of these guns from reserves; and further issues will be made as these guns become available when the field artillery is re-armed.

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March, 1903, that he hoped to deal in the ensuing year with the question of the separation of judicial and executive functions; and whether he can state what decision has been arrived at upon the Memorial of 1st July, 1899, presented to the Secretary of State on the subject in August, 1899.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. BRODRICK, Surrey, Guildford): I understand that the subject is still under consideration by the Government of India.

Labour Statistics for the Transvaal
Mines.

MR. D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give separately the numbers of white men and Kaffirs employed in and about gold and coal mines respectively in the Transvaal in January, or at the last available date for which the figures are available.

*THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. LYTTELTON, Warwick and Leamington): In November, the latest month for which I have complete Returns, the numbers were as follows:-Whites in gold mines 12,703, whites in coal mines 469, coloured in gold mines 65,552, coloured in coal mines 7,626, or a total, including metallurgical works, diamond mines, etc., of 13,419 white and 74,299 coloured.

Chinese Labour for the Transvaal-Wages. SIR JOHN LENG (Dundee): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can state the rate of wages to be paid to the Chinamen proposed to be imported into the Transvaal; how this rate will compare with those paid to miners in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Nevada; and whether he can lay upon the Table any official correspondence or reports from our selfgoverning colonies showing the grounds of their objection to the importation of Chinese labour.

*MR. LYTTELTON: I am not aware what rate of wages will be paid. The correspondence referred to will be found in the recently published Parliamentary

Transvaal Imported Labour Ordinance. MR. HERBERT SAMUEL (Yorkshire, Cleveland): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, before sanction is given to the Transvaal Imported Labour Ordinance, he will secure that regulations shall be made assuring to all Chinese labourers who may be recruited for the Transvaal mines the right. to be accompanied by their wives and children if they so desire, on terms similiar to those that would apply to the labourers themselves.

*MR. LYTTELTON: I have already stated that it is my intention to take precautions that all reasonable facilities shall be given for the introduction of the families of labourers, and the regulations. will be framed with the object of giving effect to that intention. I am unable, however, to give the pledge which the hon. Member desires, as the preparation of the regulations will occupy a considerable time.

MR. HERBERT SAMUEL: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state what is the purport of the laws which are specified in Section 35 of the draft of the Transvaal Labour Importation Ordinance, the provisions of which would not apply to Asiatic labourers imported into the Transvaal.

*MR. LYTTELTON: The first law is one to regulate the relative rights and duties of masters, servants, and apprentices. The second law is printed in translation with an amending law at page 57 of Cd. 7911 and is the law of the late Republic as to Coolies and Asiatics. Copies of the laws to which the hon. Member refers will be placed in the Library of the House.

MR. BUCHANAN (Perthshire, E.): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there are any mines in the British Empire worked by indentured foreign labour under conditions similar to those proposed in the Transvaal Ordinance.

*MR. LYTTELTON: No, Sir.

MR. BUCHANAN: I beg to ask the

it be legal, under Section 10 of draft Ordinance, for an importer of labour to convey, for a money consideration, his rights over imported labourers to another licensed person.

*MR. LYTTELTON: The hon. Member will see that Section 10 of the draft Ordinance is replaced by Section 11 in the amended Ordinance given in Cd. 1898 which provides adequate safeguards.

further

MR. BUCHANAN: If any Amendments are introduced into

the

Ordinance on the Third Reading or before
that stage, will they be laid on the Table
before the debate takes place here?
*MR. LYTTELTON: Certainly.

MR. HERBERT SAMUEL: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Report, printed as Appendix I. to the Blue-book entitled Further Correspondence relating to the Affairs of the Transvaal, etc., presented to Parliament last week, which purports to be a reprint of the Report presented by the Chamber

of Mines of the Witwatersrand to the ex

Colonial Secretary at Johannesburg in January, 1903, is not identical with that Report, seeing that the paragraph which expressed the objection of the Rand mining industry to white unskilled labour on account of the danger of labour unions being formed has been omitted; and, if so, will he state whether this omission is accidental or intentional; and whether he will furnish this House with a copy of the Report in the form in which it was originally presented to

the then head of the Colonial Office.

that the version of the Report which has
been sent over by the Inspector of Mines
is not apparently the same as that pre-
sented to the Ex-Colonial Secretary?
[No answer was returned.]

Macedonian Reforms.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis): I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs have His Majesty's Government given attention to the declarations of the Bulgarian Prime Minister in the Sobranye on Saturday last, and have they now any information of the intention of Servia and Bulgaria to unite with the Macedonian insurgents in hostilities against Turkey; will His Majesty's Government now propose to the Powers signatories of the Treaty of Berlin to hold a Conference for considering the position of the Balkan provinces of Turkey, and for concerting the means of establishing therein a settled form of government.

*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Earl PERCY, Kensington, S.): His Majesty's Government have seen in the Press a report of General Petroff's speech in the Sobranye on Saturday last. We have no reason to suppose that either Servia or Bulgaria contemplate a deliberate violation of territorial arrangements guaranteed by international treaty. The speech referred to expresses the sincere desire of | the Bulgarian Government to contribute to the carrying out of the Mursteg programme and, so far as Servia is concerned, we understand that a public announceintention of that country to follow ment has recently been made of the

the lead of Austria and Russia, and to support so far as lies in her power The the introduction of reforms. The establishment of a settled form of Govern

*MR. LYTTELTON: No, Sir. Report as published is identical with that forwarded by the Chamber of Mines to the Colonial Office as being the Report presented to Mr. Chamberlain. I think it possible that the hon. Member has overlooked the last paragraph on page 341 of the Blue-book to which he refers.

MR. HERBERT SAMUEL: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the paragraph omitted from this Blue-book appeared in The Times summary of the Report on 9th February last year, and

ment, by the removal of administrative abuses, is the object, and will, it is hoped, be the result, of the measures now in course of adoption in Macedonia.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES: Has the right hon. Gentleman anything to say in regard to the last paragraph of the Question as to the calling together of a Conference?

*EARL PERCY was understood to reply in the negative.

Lord Curzon's Visit to Bushire.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES: I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs did Lord Curzon at his recent visit to Bushire, insist that the Prince Governor General of Shiraz should come off in a boat to the Viceroy's ship, and accompany him to the shore, instead of receiving him on the beach as proposed; was this demand authorised by His Majesty's Government; and is it to be regarded as a precedent in future.

*EARL PERCY: The answer to the first paragraph of the Question is in the negative. I have already informed the hon. Member that Lord Curzon's action was unfortunately rendered necessary by the inadequacy of the arrangements locally made to carry out the hospitable intentions of His Majesty the Shah. Under these circumstances no question of pre

I determined by their educational qualifitions, including, if possible, the possession of a University degree. At the expiry of a year from the date of selection they are required to pass an examination in Arabic. Canton-Kowloon Railway.

MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the UnderSecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, seeing that the British and Chinese Corporation were granted a preliminary agreement for the construction of the Canton-Kowloon Railway on the 28th March, 1898, will he state when the final agreement is expected to be concluded and the construction of the line proceeded with.

EARL PERCY: The preliminary Agreement for the construction of the Canton-Kowloon line was signed on the the British and Chinese Corporation that 28th March, 1898. We are informed by as soon as arrangements have been made Central African Labourers in Transvaal for financing the Shanghai-Nanking Rail

cedent arises.

Mines.

MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state how many of the 1,000 natives recruited last summer from the British Central Africa Protectorate for labour in the Transvaal mines have arrived at their destination, and the nature of their engagement and rate of pay.

*EARL PERCY: The number of natives who had arrived in the Transvaal at the beginning of this year was 818. The nature of their engagement and rate of pay will be found in Africa No. 2 (1903.)

MR. WEIR: How many died. *EARL PERCY: I cannot say exactly.

Government of the Soudan.

MR. WEIR: I beg to ask the UnderSecretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether arrangements have yet been made for candidates desirous of entering the service of the Government of the Soudan to undergo some educational test, especially as regards a knowledge of Arabic.

*EARL PERCY: Under the new system

way, negotiations for the conclusion of the final agreement for the construction of the Canton-Kowloon line will be proceeded with. The matter is receiving very careful attention.

MR.

Electricity in Mines. FENWICK (Northumberland, Wansbeck): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any steps are being taken to prepare special rules for the purpose of regulating the use of electricity in mines, in accordance with the recommendations of the Departmental Committee.

*THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. AKERS DOUGLAS, Kent, St. Augustine's): The Report of the Committee on the use of electricity in mines is now before me, and I am considering the best steps to take with the view of establishing special rules in accordance with its recommendations.

MR. TENNANT (Berwickshire): Will the Report be laid on the Table of the House?

*MR. AKERS DOUGLAS: There can be no objection to that as far as I know. I think it has been done; if not, I will

Christ's Hospital Site.

MR. COHEN (Islington, E.): On behalf of the hon. Member for the City of London (Sir JOSEPH DIMSDALE) I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether, in arranging for the erection of buildings on the site of Christ's Hospital, he will, by means of lay-byes or otherwise, provide facilities for the increasing traffic of the Post Office service, so that the vehicles of the Department can be accommodated without adding to the congestion of the traffic in the neighbourhood surrounding the site.

THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton): Yes, Sir. In planning the buildings to be erected the object indicated by the hon. Member shall be kept in view.

Irish Railway Freights.

MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the cost of carriage of a ton of eggs to London from Denmark is 24s., from Russia 22s., and from Galway 94s. ; and, if so, whether, in view of the dissatisfaction regarding the charges of Irish Railways, he will recommend the appointment of a Departmental or Viceregal Commission to inquire into and report upon the subject.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM, Dover): The Department of Agriculture is inquiring into the accuracy of the fact alleged in the first part of the Question. The third annual Report of the Department which was recently presented to Parliament and will be in the hands of hon. Members in a few days, contains an interesting account of the steps taken by the Department with a view to the reduction of railway rates in cases where its intervention was sought. These steps were followed by successful results in a number of instances. The Department is at present engaged in collecting information in respect to charges for the carriage of Ir'sh and Continental agricultural produce, and the question of the necessity for further inquiry, as suggested, can best be decided when these investigations have been completed.

Russia Japanese War-Duties of Neutrals.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES: I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury have H's Majesty's Government issued instructions to the authorities of British ports and coaling stations abroad, prescribing to them their conduct, in the event of war, towards belligerent ships of war; will such ships of war only be permitted in such ports to be supplied with so much coal as will suffice to take them to the nearest port of their own country, and no more; will they be prohibited from receiving any further supply of coal in any other British port until the expiration of three months from the date of the first supply; will their stay in such ports be restricted to twenty-four hours, except in the case of stress of weather or distress for necessary repairs; will such vessels be prohibited from bringing prizes into British ports; and will the same rules be enforced in the ports of the British selfwhether, seeing that war has broken out, governing Colonies. I will further ask the Government will advise His Majesty to issue a proclamation of neutrality.

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