§ MR. RUFUS ISAACS (Reading)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the acreage of the Crown lands in the Transvaal; what portions thereof are available for State-aided land settlement, and in what parts of the Transvaal such portions are situate; and whether any, and, if so, what steps are being taken to further the policy of colonisation by British settlers upon such lands.
§ MR. CHURCHILLThe total area of Crown lands in the Transvaal is, I understand, a little over 30,000 square miles. There is little Crown land on the High Veld, and the majority is on the Middle or Low Veld, which is less suitable for settlement, the latter, indeed, being malarious. The progress of land settlement is shown in the last Report of the Commissioner of Lands, copies of which will be placed in the Library when they arrive from South Africa. Meanwhile, if my have and learned friend desires it, I can arrange for him to have access to the copy we have already received.
§ MR. RUFUS ISAACSI beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Government has received any Reports from Dr. Jameson, the Commissioner of Crown Lands in the Transvaal, upon the nature and character of such lands and their suitability for the purpose of agricultural settlement; and, if not, whether he would call for such a Report.
§ MR. CHURCHILLAs I have stated in reply to another Question, copies of the last Report of the Commissioner of Lands will be placed in the Library. The Report will be found to contain information of the nature referred to.