, The Chinese labour question was brought up in the
Commons on Wednesday evening by Major Seely, who moved a reduction of the vote on the ground that under the Conven- tion of 1904, which was based on that of 1860, British Consuls in China were acting as recruiting agents. In reply, Mr. Winston Churchill made a long statement explaining the delegation of their functions by the Consuls to Transvaal immigration officials. When the outstanding licenses had been dealt with, the Government proposed to instruct the Consuls to resume those delegated functions, and thus to prevent any further exportation of coolies. It would depend On the Transvaal Assembly whether it was ever resorted to again. As soon as the Constitution was settled, the Govern- ment would fix a date at which the Ordinance would cease. Should the Transvaal Legislature when constituted make new proposals, they would be carefully examined, and vetoed if found to be in conflict with the fundamental principles of liberty. Mr. Balfour, who followed, profoundly regretted the menacing language used by Mr. Churchill to the mineowners, and could not see how self-government could be carried on if the Government refused to allow the Colonists to be masters in their own house in regard to the industry on which their whole prosperity depended. This Downing Street interference could only lead to disaster.
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