§ MR. BYLES (Salford, N.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the 408 Colonies what answer has been sent to the petition of the Hausa population of the Colony of Lagos, Southern Nigeria, praying that they may not be evicted from their homes to make roam for a military recreation ground; and whether he is aware that the population referred to consists chiefly of ex-soldiers and the widows, wives, children, relatives, and descendants of soldiers of His Majesty, who have been in undisturbed possession of their present homes for forty-one years, and that there is ground for their fear that the Hausa Lands Ordinance of August 1906 will entail homelessness, destitution, and hardship on the old people who have spent many years in loyal service of the King and His Majesty's Government.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. CHURCHILL,) Manchester, N.W.It is understood that a petition of the tenor indicated has been handed to the Governor of Southern Nigeria for transmission to the Secretary of State; but it has not yet reached the Colonial Office. The matter has been very carefully considered and, with the arrangements which have been made for compensation, there is no reason to think that any one will suffer hardship through this removal which is necessary on sanitary grounds.