IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 12763, 16 March 1906, Page 6

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. THE CHINESE IN SOUTH AFRICA. THE FLOGGING QUESTION. NO COMMISSION TO BE APPOINTED. LONDON. March 15. Mr Winston Churchill (Undor-Seoretaxy for the Colonies), in answer to questions in the House of Commons, said that be intended to ask Lord Selbome (the High Commissioner) to inquire into the extent to which coolies had been illegally flogged through the abuse of Lord Milner’s oral permission to inflict slight corporal punishment such as was practised in the public schools of England. Lord Milner’s sanction of punishment without seeing that his instructions were not exceeded constituted a grave dereliction of duty. Mr Chamberlain asked whether the Premier would advise the King to appoint a Boyal Commission of a judicial diameter to examine into and report on the working of indentured Labor on the Rand, and into the allegations of certain Ministers of the Crown that a system of slavery' or semi-slavery prevailed; also to inquire into the iiccusations of general cruelty an dtorture inflicted by Britishers on oooLos, and, if proved, to report the names of the persons concerned, and advise what measures are necessary to prevent the possibility of proceedings so injurious to Britain’s honor. The Prime Minister replied; “ No, sir, we hove no such intention.’' Major J. E. B. Seeley (Liberal member for Liverpool) subsequently raised a debate on the question of coolie labor. Air Winston Churchill explained that it was intended, after the licenses of emigrants expired in June or July next, to throw the recruitment out of gear. The British Consuls, who were the lynch pin of the system, would be ordered to resume tiro functions heretofore delegated to the agents of the Transvaal Immigration Association, and not to participate in further recruitments until instructed from Home. Once the Transvaal became self-governing the Motherland would fix a date for the termination of the existing Libor Ordinance and consider the Transvaal’s fresh proposals, which would be decided by veto if necessary, no matter how great the rnajo rity supporting the proposals might he. Ho thought the change of the Transvaal framing acceptable proposals wag not at all good, and he expressed the opinion that tbs gradual repatriation of coolies would not injure intiinsicaTly the value of the mines. A rearrangement might attract native labor. 'Mr Churchill compared the conditions at Ivariboe (West Australia) with thos“ on the. Rand, and hoped that mines on the Rand wonld bo more largely worked by whites. Mr BaHoiir yrrotested against a hybrid policy of conferring self-government on tire Transvaal and then telling the people as regarded their greatest industry that they were not master? in their own bouse. Air Chamberlain said that there was a strong feeling in the colonies against cheap labor, but a stronger feeling against outride interference, which in this case was unjnrtirable. Air F. A. Rid.odale (Liberal member for Brighton) warned the party that Ibey were courting the gravest disaster. Mr A. B Afarkbam T/Teial member for AfansfFld' urged the- Govemmem to send a Commission to decide whether white? were able to work the mines. Bir E. (trey (Secretary of Foreign Affairs) explained that China would not perihit future recruiting without some guarantee that the conditions were properly observed. She would seek such guarantees from the Consuls. The latter after June would not be allowed to help the Colon-’’s policy, except under proper conditions. He did not believe when the Transvaal had responsible government that tliere would be any moral conflict between the self-govern-ing colonies and the ATotherland. Major Seeley expressed himself satisfied with the information the debate had elicited. A QUESTION OF MOEAUTT. LONDON, Alarch 15. (Received March 16, at 8.33 a.m.) Lord Redosdale, speaking in the House of Lords, said he was unable to conceive any aet by tho colonies which would not be as moral as any act of the Imperial Government. PRESS CRITICISMS. AN OPPOSITION LECTURE. LONDON, Alarch 15. (Received March 16, at 8.12 a.m.) The ‘Daily News’ (Radical) comments on the Government’s prudence in uprooting the taxes without destroying legitimate interests. They had acted in tl>e full knowledge that tie mining industry’s true basis was not yellow labor. The ‘Standard’ (Opposition) emphasises Air Chamberlain's warning that it would be a delusion to .imagine that disapproval of the Transvaal Labor Ordinance by Canada and Australasia implies any support in tampering with the rights and liberties of the people of South Africa. The paper also asserts that the Government are hugely mistaken if they imagined that they are able to impose their ideas of morality on a self-governing people. (Received March 16, at 8.33 a.m.) ‘The Times,’ comma king on tho debate, severely censures the Government for their determination to maintain at, all costs thenreputation for consistency with their followers. The Government had capitulated to the violence and malignity of a section of their supporters, and were on the eve of the creation of a situation of the gravest menace to the whole future of tho Empir. The ‘Daily Chronicle’ (Government) deprecates Air ChurcHU's rather injudicious assumption that a conflict is likely, and his emphasising his resolve to override a colonial Government. The ‘Aforning Advertiser’ (Opposition) characterises the Government’s attitude as one of hypocrisy, and quotes Sir Edward Grey’s last sentence. The newspaper predicts that when the time__comes, and the present bluster is forgotten, tho Government will be able to exhibit a roost gracious confidence in. tho morality and humanity of a British self-governing colony. THE TU QUOQXJE ARGUMENT. LONDON, Alarch 15. (Received March 16, at 9.6 a.m.) The ‘ Alancbester Guardian ’ (Liberal) taunts Air Balfour with being a tremendous advocate of non-interference in colonial rights when in opposition, although he vetoed British Cohimbia’s anti-Japanese legislation when in power, while Mr Chamberlain ignored the fearful charges of maltreatment against West Australian natives, though made on serious authority. OLD AGE PENSIONS. THE PRINCIPLE AFFIRAIED. THE GOVERNMENT IN EARNEST. ■LONDON, March 15. (Received March 16. at 8.12 a.m.) Mr J. O’Grady (Liberal member for Leeds) moved a resolution that a measure is urgently needed to provide old age pensions out of funds raised from taxation. It was sympathetically received and carried without a division. Air Asquith (Chancellor of the Exchequer), in accepting the principle of the resolution, pleaded for patience . and prudence. The Government were pledged : tn a pacific policy, and " would take [ substantial steps to reduce the,

Amy and to. reduce the\ shipbuilding programme. He also hinted at reductions in other departments, and that bo would widen the basis of taxation for revenue purposes by'making the burden fall with greater justice and equality on all sections of the community. (Received March 16, at 8.44 a.m.) Mr John Bums, President of the Local Government Board, considers that tho best, simplest, and fairest way is to give everyone a pension of 5s a week at the age-of sixty-five, except perhaps to military, naval, civil, and municipal pensioners. The Government wfll take the matter np when the Poor Law Commission report is received. WELSH CHURCH DISESTABLISH- • MENT. LONDON, Alarch 15. The Prime Alinister having reiterated his promise to introduce a Welsh Disestablishment Bill on the first available opportunity, Air samnel T. Evans, K. C. (Liberal member for Glamorganshire), has withdrawn his intended Suspensory Bill, which the Government, on technical grounds, wore unable to support. No statement was made regarding the. date of the introduction cf the Welsh Disestablishment Bill. . THE ALIENS ACT. LONDON, Alarch 16. Mr H. Gladstone (Home Secretary) promised Sir W. Evans-Gordon (Unionist member for Stepney) to give the Aliens Act a fair trial, and to see that it is administered with reasonable humanity. LICENSING REFORM. LONDON, Alarch 15. Tn the House of Oommong, Air H. Gladstone announced that the Government would deni with ,tbe question of licensing reform in the 1907 session.