CABLE NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 47, 24 February 1906, Page 5

CABLE NEWS.

tBT ELKCTMO TEManAfH. — COPYRIGHT.] CHINESE ON THE RAND. ♦— — ! DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. SPEEOE BY~MB. WINSTON OHUROHILL. INTENTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT. [PHEBB ASSOCIATION.] LONDON, 23rd February. In the House of Commons an amendtaont to the Addrcss-in-R^ply was moved by Mr. H. W. Forater (ex-Lord of the Treasury), expressing rogrot that the Government, after bringing the country's reputation into contempt by alleging Chinasd slavery existed in the Transvaal, took no effoctual methods towards ending it. Mr. Winston Ohurohill, Under«Secro. tary for th<* Colonies, admitted that it was not slavery in the extreme acceptance of tho term, but said it was an undosirablo form of contract, constituting a melancholy derogation of labour nob hithorto tolorated in the British Empiro." The sudden deportation of Chinese would, he admittecf, produce an economic collapse, but ho behoved tho Transvaal would decide against permanent retention of the system, and was certain to reject tho impudent demands for its ex« I fusion. Tho Government wns modifying tho conditions of treatment, and if tho Transvaal continued tho system under repugnnut conditions, Imperial sanction would bo withheld from arrangements with China. The Government intended to cancel the provision permitting coolies to re-engage at tho end of their contract. Three thousand license* which had been granted, but not signed, would bo allowed to stand, likewise thirteen thousand which had been formally signed. TREATMENT OF THE COOLIES. ENQUIRY INVITED. CAPETOWN, 23rd February. Mr, Ohap'ain, Presidont of tho Rand Chamber of Mines, courts tho fullest enquiry into tho treatment of Chinese coolies. Ho condemns Sir H. CnmpbollBanncrmnn for assuming that tho mining population of tho Rand is loss humane than other Britishers. - Mr, Chaplain states that owing to tho Increase in tho employment of unskilled labour tho number of skilled whitu labourers rose in 1905 from 16,962 to 19,627, AN EX-MINISTER'S CRITICISM. (Received February 24, 7.37 a.m.) LONDON, 23rd February. Speaking on Mr, Forster's amendment, Mr, George Wyndham, formerly Chief Becrotary For Ireland, declared that if the allegations regarding slavery in the Trans, vnalwere true, Mr. Winston Churchill's unhoroic, half-hearted palliatives wore wholly insufficient. The Government was courting disaster in South Africa.' Mr. Marcham said it was impossible to work tlio mines with white labour, &yen if wages were reduced fifty per cent. Tho debate was adjpurned.