SOUTH AFRICA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1700, 16 March 1906, Page 2

SOUTH AFRICA.

TRANSVAAL SHARES DEPRECIATE

By telegraphy Press Asa’n, Copyright London, March 14.

At a sittiog of the House of Oommoos, Lord E'gin, in reply to a question, said shares in the Transvaal mines were speculative, and subjaot to considerable fluctuation. Their depreciation had been oonstant in th 9 past two years, and had become pronounced sinoe the importation of Chineso had been stopped.

THE FLOGGING OF COOLIES.

By telegraph, Press Ass’n, Copyright Rooeived 9.41 p.m., March 15.

DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS,

QUESTION OF COOLIE LABOR.

By telegraph, Press Ass’ii, Copyrigh Receivod 10.14 p m., Match 15.

London, March 15. Mr. Chamberlain asked whether the Premier would advise the KiDg to appoint a Royal Commission of a judicial character to examino and report on tho working of indentured labor on tbo Rand, allegations of certain Ministers heiog that a system of slavory or semi-slavory existed, also to inquire into the accusations of general cruelty and torture ioflioted by Britishers on coolies, and if proved the report should name the porsons concerned, and advise measures to prevent the possibility of proceedings so injurious to Britain’s honor. Sir H, Campbell Bannerman ; No? sir, we have no such intention. Me Seley afterwards raised a debate on coolr'e labor. Mr Churohill explained that be intended, after licenses to emigrants were worked out in June or July, to throw recruitmen out of gear. Consuls, who lynoh the pin system, would be ordered to resume the functions heretofore delegated to the agents of tho Transvaal Immigration Association, and not participate in further recruitments until instructed from Home. Received 10 25 p.m., Maroh 16.

Mr Churchill, continuing, said that onoe be Transvaal beoamo self-governing the Motherland oould fix a date to terminate existing labor. Ordinarily considered, the Transvaal’s freßh proposals he would | decidedly veto, if neoesßary, no nutter how great a majority were supporting the proposals. He thought the ohanee of the Transvaal framing acoeptablo proposals was not at all a good one. He expressed I the opinion that the gtadual repatriation of coolies would not injure intrinsically the | valuable mines, and a re arrangement might attract natives, Ho then oompared the condition of Ivanhoo, in Wist Australia, with the Rand, and hoped the latter would be more largely worked by whites. Mr Balfour protested agamst tbe hybrid polioy of conferring on the Transvaal se

I government, and than telling tbe people, as regards their greatest industry, that I they were not masters in their own house, I Mr Chamberlain said there was a strong feeling in the colonies against oheap labor, but stronger against outside interference, ' whiob in this case was unjustifiable. Mr Ridsdale warned tbe party that they were oounhg tbe groatest disaster. Sir Climent Markham urged the Go- I vernment to send a Commission to decide whether the whites were able to work the mines.

• Received 10.38 p.m , March 15. Sir B. Grey, interposing, explained that China would not permit recruiting without some guarantee that tho conditions were

properly observed. She Beeks suoh guarantee from the Consuls. After Jone they would not be allowed to help the colony’s policy, exoept under proper conditions. He did not believe when the Transvaal had

responsible government th,ere could bo

any moral conflict between self and the

governing colony of the Motherland. Mr Seeley expressed himself satisfied,

LoDdou, March 15. In the House of Commons Mr Churobil stated that he intended to ask Lord Elgin to inquue into the extent that coolies are illegally flogged by an abuse of Lord Milner’s oral permission of slight oorporal punishment as practised in the public schools of England. Lord Milner’s sane tion of the punishment without seeing that the instructions were not exceeded, constituted a grave dereliction of duty.