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Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE: Yes.

Sir E. GREY: We could not put that, in my opinion, before the Government of Australia without asking them at the same time whether they would themselves be prepared to undertake the purchase, or to give exchange of territory, and that, of course, opens a very large question.

March 3.

Sir WILLIAM BYLES asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that it was recently disclosed in evidence in open Court in the New Hebrides that a plantation had changed hands, the assets including implements, cattle and thirty-three labourers, the labourers being valued at £50 each; and whether he will say if a total of £1,650 was actually paid for these thirty-three men and boys?

Mr. HARCOURT: I am aware that in a case recently before the Joint Court it was stated that two French citizens, to whom thirty-three native labourers had been engaged under indentures for one year, transferred an estate to an Australian Company, a sum of £1,650 being included in the purchase price in respect of labour; and that the Joint Court held, after the completion of the transfer, that these indentures had not ceased to preserve their legal force.

Sir W. BYLES: How does this transaction differ from slavery? And is it not in direct violation of Article 43 of the Convention, which prohibits the transfer of contracts unless freely accepted by the labourer and authorized by the Resident Commissioner?

Mr. HARCOURT: I suppose it cannot be in violation of the Article, because it was a decision of the Joint Committee.

March 10.

Mr. SILVESTER HORNE asked whether, according to the 1906 Convention, by which the New Hebrides Condominium was established, the age and height at which minors could be contracted was to be immediately fixed; and, if so, whether a standard age or height has yet been fixed?

Mr. HARCOURT: The New Hebrides Convention did not prescribe any age below which minors could not be engaged, but provided that "children shall only be engaged if they are of a certain minimum height, to be fixed by the Resident Commissioners jointly." No definite minimum height, however, appears to have been fixed, but in the rules subsequently adopted for labourers engaged by British subjects it is laid down that no" native under the age of sixteen, or who is obviously physically unfit for plantation labour, shall be recruited for labour." The French Resident Commissioner was instructed to apply the Convention rule on the subject in such a way "as

to prevent children from being recruited before the age at which their strength is fully developed, so as to fit them for their work-in fact, generally speaking, before the age of fifteen."

Mr. EDMUND HARVEY: Have the Colonial Office given instructions to the British representatives to take steps to get the conditions fixed so as to prevent children being recruited during the eight years?

Mr. HARCOURT: The instructions to British subjects are perfectly clear; if the hon. member wants any further information as to how the instructions apply, I shall be glad to give it.

Mr. SILVESTER HORNE asked whether natives in the New Hebrides against whom charges have been made are frequently arrested, detained, and treated as convicts pending trial, the sentences being often of shorter duration than the time already served; and whether many natives so detained have died before being brought to trial?

Mr. HARCOURT: My attention has been drawn to the fact that certain natives of the New Hebrides were arrested and detained for several months pending trial by the Joint Naval Commission in December last, and that in some cases the sentences were of shorter duration than the periods of previous detention. I have seen a statement that some natives have died while awaiting trial. His Majesty's Government are considering what steps can be taken to prevent the repetition of such occurrences.

March II.

Sir WILLIAM BYLES asked the Secretary of State whether the New Hebrides Convention prohibit in Article 43 the transfer of labourers from one employer to another in consideration of a cash payment and without the express consent of the labourers so transferred; and whether a recent decision of the Joint Court is a violation of this Article.

Mr. HARCOURT: Article 43 of the New Hebrides Convention provides that no transfer of a contract of engagement shall be permitted unless freely accepted by the labourer. In the case referred to by my honourable. friend the Joint Court was, I presume, satisfied that the transfers were freely accepted by the labourers in question.

March 12.

Sir WILLIAM BYLES asked what is the respective proportion of cases brought against British and French subjects before the Joint Court in the New Hebrides?

Mr. HARCOURT: From April 10, 1911, to November 15, 1912, the accused in cases before the Joint Court were of French nationality in seventyeight cases, and British in twelve. These figures do not include civil cases. Later statistics are not available,

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Mr. HOARE asked whether the Reverend Mr. Bowskill, at the request of the Portuguese authorities, risked his life in going out to meet the rebel leaders who were attacking San Salvador; and whether Mr. Bowskill demanded that before doing so the request should be made in writing?

Mr. ACLAND: We have received copies of letters written by Mr. Bowskill in December, extracts from which have appeared in the Press. It would appear from them that the statements in the hon. Member's question are

correct.

Mr. HOARE: Is the statement in The Times to-day correct, that this dispute had no connection with the administration of the labour regulations?

Mr. ACLAND: We are not informed about that.

Mr. HOARE asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Consul-General at Boma is within easy reach of San Salvador, the post at which the Rev. Mr. Bowskill is under arrest; and, if so, will he consider the advisability of telegraphing instructions, either to the ConsulGeneral at Boma or to the Vice-Consul at Leopoldville, to proceed at once to San Salvador to institute a full inquiry?

Mr. ACLAND: His Majesty's Consul at Loanda has been instructed to ascertain as quickly as possible the grounds of Mr. Bowskill's arrest, and the causes leading to it. He is also to inquire as to Mr. Bowskill's whereabouts. His Majesty's Minister at Lisbon has been instructed to inform the Portuguese Government of the serious impression which will be created by the arrest, and to ask them to ascertain and inform him of the facts, and, pending an inquiry, to have Mr. Bowskill released. I have also asked the Portuguese Government to afford facilities to the Acting British Consul at Boma, who has been instructed to proceed at once to make inquiries on the spot into the circumstances of the arrest, and furnish a full report. I have just heard from Lisbon that instructions have been sent to afford all facilities and every assistance to the British Consul.

We have to-day received a telegram from His Majesty's Consul at Loanda, stating that at the telegraphic request of the head of the mission at Matadi, on February 25, he informed the Governor-General, who immediately telegraphed through the Administration at Noqui to the Governor of the Portuguese Congo, who is on his way to San Salvador, for an immediate explanation of the arrest with instructions to liberate Mr. Bowskill immediately unless there were strict legal reasons for his detention, in which case the entire responsibility for the detention would be on the Governor of the Congo. Mr. Hall Hall adds that a reply is expected about March 4, owing to communications with San Salvador being interrupted.

Sir J. D. REES: Are not the good offices of the British Foreign Office in a case like this conditional upon the abstention of the reverend gentleman from interference in Portuguese politics?

Mr. ACLAND: The good offices of the British Foreign Office are always at the disposal of any British subject who is arrested until we are assured that the arrest is in strict accordance with law.

Mr. HOARE: Is it a fact that the only interference which is suggested was at the request of the Portuguese Government?

Mr. ACLAND: We do not yet know the circumstances of the arrest. We know what happened in December fully from letters which have been received, but our difficulty now is to find out the circumstances of the recent

arrest.

March 3.

Mr. SWIFT MACNEILL asked whether, having regard to the arrest of the Rev. Mr. Bowskill in Portuguese West Africa, the information in possession of His Majesty's Government is that when the rebels in Portuguese West Africa attacked San Salvador the head Portuguese official fled and hid himself in Mr. Bowskill's bathroom?

Sir E. GREY: It would appear from the letters written by Mr. Bowskill and communicated to the Foreign Office that on the occasion of the attack on San Salvador a Portuguese official did take refuge in Mr. Bowskill's sitting-room.

Mr. SWIFT MACNEILL: And is this the official, who so saved his life, the man who has placed Mr. Bowskill under arrest ?

Sir E. GREY: I am not sure of that. The information which my hon. friend the Under-Secretary gave to the House yesterday was that we were expecting information on March 4. Inquiries are being made with all speed.

March 5.

Mr. FERENS asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, according to information in possession of His Majesty's Government, the Portuguese official responsible for causing the rebellion by illegal practices was merely dismissed, whilst the Reverend Mr. Bowskill, who secured the withdrawal of forces and prevented bloodshed, was arrested?

The SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir Edward Grey): As a result of the disturbances in San Salvador in December last the Portuguese Secretary of the Administration of Portuguese Congo was dismissed. I am not yet aware of the circumstances in which Mr. Bowskill was recently arrested, or what was the nature of the arrest.

Mr. HOARE asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any further information with reference to the arrest of the Rev. Mr. Bowskill?

Sir E. GREY: The situation is as follows: The Acting British Consul at Boma has been sent to the spot, and is presumably there now. The British Consul at Loanda is in communication with the Portuguese GovernorGeneral. The Portuguese Governor-General has sent instructions to the Portuguese Governor at San Salvador that Mr. Bowskill is to be released if possible, and that the Governor will be held responsible if he is detained. The Governor-General had expected to receive a reply yesterday, but it is supposed that the telegraph has been cut by natives, and I have not yet received the information expected from him.

Mr. JAMES HOPE: On what charge was he arrested?

Sir E. GREY: I do not know, and I am not sure that the Portuguese Government themselves are even certain about the nature of the arrest and whether he is really arrested on a charge or simply detained. I have sent the Acting-Consul from Boma to the spot, and the British Consul at Loanda is in communication with the Portuguese Governor-General to get this information, as I want to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible.

Mr. HOARE: Is there telegraphic communication between the Consul at Boma and the Foreign Office, or has it been cut ?

Sir E. GREY: There would be from Boma, which is two days' journey from San Salvador, to which the Acting-Consul has gone from Boma, and until he returns or sends some one back, he cannot actually telegraph from the spot.

March 9.

Mr. HOARE asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any further information with reference to the arrest of the Rev. Mr. Bowskill?

Mr. ACLAND: In a telegram dated from Boma, March 6, the Acting British Consul reports that Mr. Bowskill, who was at San Salvador, to which place the Acting Consul could not proceed owing to the rebellion, would be released on the arrival of the Governor, who was on his way to that place with soldiers. Mr. Bell adds that the Mission was not considered to be in danger.

Mr. HOARE: Is telegraphic communication now in existence between San Salvador and this country?

Mr. ACLAND: No.

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